2026

 

Training now a bit with John and hope to help him do the Tri Kids Triathlon in 2027.

In the meantime enjoying new location and new routes.  Hit a 52 week run on Strava, all that matters is keeping moving.  Keep it simple. 

2022

Silver for Catherine & Chloe Commonwealth Games no more than they deserved the work they put in.

4th for Anne & Judith another fantastic results and what do you say about these ladies.  Simply unstopable.  

Ironman Barcelona - A Tough Tough Finish

It all seemed so reasonable early race morning.  What a year baby John arrived in May (little legend) and I felt up for this.  Swim was enjoyable except for some inadvertent fishing line getting wrapped around me but it was yellow luminous so I could see it to remove it, no rush.  It was a lovely day but the air was pushing and sucking and the bike was much harder than I wanted it to be, thankfully I could see other strained faces out there.  Back in from the bike and all seemed on plan as I got to the transition tent.  Then out came the same kink in my left hip that got me in Cork and I was walking after 4KM.  It was bitter. A seriously long march home for the first time at an Ironman for me; into the darkness of the evening, all the glow lights were out,  I had never seen that it was atmospheric. Despite terrific support from LTC I couldn't keep the knee's lifting.

There was no way I was not making the finish line - come hell or high water.

Humbling.  Misjudged.  Again it seemed I hadn't done the right work. That could be the end of the Tri Bike for me narrow hip angle doesn't seem to help me now over 40.  It actually turned into a very disappointing poignant moment.   I kept wondering why do I do these things anymore? 

Swim 1 Hr 13 Mins

Bike 5 Hr 43 Mins

Run 6 Hr 05 Mins

Limerick Tri Club 2nd Overall in IM Barcelona Tri Club Champs - some seriously good results from very hard-working dedicated athletes.   I am very lucky to have been involved with Limerick Triathlon.  The oldest Tri Club in Ireland.  Some team.  Will sure miss it all.  

The Lost Sheep

What an event.  This really is one of the great's.  Middle Distance National championships and LimerickTri well represented.  My best 1900m race swim of all time.  It was a great race and dicing with John O'Sullivan on the bike was a lot of fun but he gased me in the first 3K of the run and I had to hold on.   Even if you get a chance to do this bike solo you should an epic course.  The run course on the other hand they added some serious incline's to the last section section.  And it rained like a Typhoon. Stephen Cunneen fastest LTC on the day.

Swim : 29M 15M

Bike :   2H 45M 

Run:     1H 42M

9 minutes slower than 2012 not a bad return & a much tougher run course now that's for sure. 

And here is Sinead with my old bike.  Both of them are two serious pieces of Triathlon kit.  Some other great athletes in the background - 'respect' some of them now sub 10 and kona qualifiers - not me though. LoL !

2023

Canada

2nd April - off I move to Canada.   Wanted to miss the 1st but no it was a direct hit.

They say The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating -- in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic.  

Here is to hoping 👍 

 

2024

Rugby played a bit.  Got bashed it was great.

Mr Health & Fit. A mad moment.  Why not. 

Chloe and Judith Paris Olympics :-)

Aron O'Dowd wins Paratriathlon National Championships 

Got these : 

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)

Corrective Excersize Specialist (CES) 

Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC)

Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES)

Was helped by the team at Goodlife fitness.  Wanted to do more for them but fate did not allow, bills to be paid.  Special thanks Saul - think we both learnt something - lol.  Great guy. 

2021

World Championship Triathlon Abu Dhabi 

Getting to see everyone race on a F1 track.  Quite the experience.   

World Triathlon Cup Alhandra Portugal 

 

Great performance.  Three medals.

Portugal Race Report

Para National Championship Limerick  - organized the Paratriathlon National Championships Event and Risk Managed with ardent support from Castlecoonnell Rowing Club and Limerick Triathlon Club.  (Some shoulders were tapped on to recruit more guides)

For this year after the much input from coaches before ; I had the opportunity to coach Stephan Campbell, David Eccles, Aron O'Dowd to PTVI male 1st, 2nd, 3rd National Championships & also trained and guided Aron to his 1st triathlon. 

https://triathlon.org/events/2021-irl-paratriathlon-national-championships/results/542478 

Race Report

 

Joey Hannon 

2020

 

World Triathlon Championship Series Devonport - Tazmania 

I have never met anyone like Mark Miller.  A great adventure and some compromises and a unique swim in an epic pool in Tazmania.  

I wish I could have done more to drive him on in his 1st World Series race.  However we were both a very long way from home.  

All said and done it was a performance that defied time zones. 

World Triathlon - Sarasota & Badenton 

Covid.  2 cancellations.  And the biggest race of our lives to get home out of Tampa.  Team pulled together yet again.  Sad not to have seen the guys get a chance to race. 

 

Couch 3000 - Cycled 3012 KM in June 2020 

I have to blame my school buddy Daniel for this one.   In a time of Covid a fundraiser seemed like a good thing to do.   To be sure we went for it.  I would never suggest an off the couch like this as it took prolonged recovery.  However if you just do the work sometimes it rolls together nicely. 

Limerick Triathlon Time Trial Series 

5 Rounds every summer a great little runner.  Ran it as best I could 2020, 2021, 2022 think it went well.

https://limericktriathlon.com/2021/07/01/time-trial-round-5-june-30th/

2019

Ironman Cork 

Ireland so it rained.  And flooded.  It was a battle against the weather.  Swim cancelled. My bike wheels actually filled with water on the course but changing to a road bike with disc brakes for the day was a very sensible move.  Living not too far away I was lucky to have had a chance to do that.  Brian Mc Crystal (IRL) 2nd to no less than Alistair Brownlee. 

Bike : 6H 33M 55S

A real 'Irish' course and cyclist's of every level were challenged.  

Windmill hill x 2 thankfully it didn't grind me to a halt but it sure burnt some matches.

Run : 5H 18M 45 S.

Hip strength and overall durability very serious personal limiter's.  Wheels came off at 25KM into the marathon with a stiff hip.  And I deserved it.  Bashed me.

Weather & Windmill Hill

Old Velo's - Flash Skin Tight Suit

Tokyo Olympics Test Event

An experience like no other.   The logistics of these events is huge.  Amazing to be there. 

Para Event at Joey Hannon 

Para Triathlon comes to Limerick and a great day was had by all. 

Paratriathlon Results

National Duathlon Champs 

The adventure into guiding with David has been an eye opener.   It's pretty brilliant though and it's hard to explain how cool taking multi sport on as a team is.   A bronze on the day and delighted for David he is a very hard worker his consistency is admirable.

 

 

Tri Ireland Training Camp - Lanzorate

Got to coach for a while here and it was a sunny, windy reminder of 2011. 

2018 A New Season

World Triathlon Level 2 Coaching Cert 

 

World Triathlon National Classifier Certification (Valencia Spain)

I wonder if I will get to see a Tandom this year ??

 

 

Great shot by Gordon Thompson (Photography Legend) from 2008 in Athy. 

Life Changers

Every so often you met someone who can help change your outlook and inspire confidence too send you a direction you may have lost track of.  In the last 2/3 years Ginny Ross a simply excellent physical therapist and one of the most positive, passionate people you will ever meet has helped heal many ache's; due too poor flexibility, too much sitting & even poor environmental lifestyle choice's.

http://limericksportstherapy.com/

Athletes of all ages and background's need to heed their bodies messages and spend time healing the damage that accumulates in day to day living and competing in sport.

Some time ago Ginny suggested I start too look into a guy Kelly Starrett. It led me on a path I had been too shy to follow.  Kelly is a serious operator.  I am enthralled by his teaching, practice, presence and personality. Great to work with him in Munich.


Quite the year 2017.  I achieved things I hadn't even considered .....thanks guys. And I have a long list of names too check out now.

-       Apr  17 * Certification Movement & Mobility 101 Athlete
-       June 17 * Certification Movement & Mobility 102 Coach 
-       July 17 * Certification Digital Marketing Google
-       Aug  17 * CPR Training internal UB
-       Sept 17 * Certification Basic First Aid
-       Sept 17 * Certification Advanced Basic First Aid
-       Sept 17 * Certification Paediatric First Aid
-       Sept 17 * Certification AED Operator 
-       Sept 17 * Certification CPR Practitioner
-       Sept 17 * Certification Anaphylaxis Awareness
-       Oct  17 *  Certification Safeguard Child Welfare / Protection
-       Nov  17 * Certification World Anti Doping Authority
-       Nov  17 * Certification Triathlon Ireland Tri Leader
-       Dec  17 * Level 1 Triathlon Coaching Certification (ITU)                                                          
-       Dec  17 * Sport Ireland Anti-Doping Sample Procedures
-       Dec  17 * Sport Ireland Coaching Children Introduction
-       Dec  17 * Sport Ireland Safeguarding 1

Learning List

2017
Mobility Wod
Movement & Mobility 101
Movement & Mobility 102
Grays Institute
Certification in Applied Functional Science® (CAFS) 

• Ironman 70.3 Dublin 6:02:45
• Hell of the West 2:40
• Levurkusen Half M 1:40:33
• Up the Creek 1:17:20
• Tri 795 1:16:22
• Joey Hannon 2:24:37
• North Tipp Sprint 1:13:45

744

Mizen to Malin

Three Days.  Ireland bottom to top.  An excellent trip so well organised by Brendan Sheehan and gang, all to support Croi Ireland. Lead with ongoing advice from Nigel Forde 'those bottles are not ornaments'.  How right he is.

 

IRONMAN FRANCE 2014

Philip Manuel           Overall Rank: DNS

Div Rank: ---            Gender Rank: ---

BIB 744                  Division 30-34

Age 33                    State ---

Country IRL          Profession ---

Points ---            

Swim ---

Bike ---

Run ---

Overall DNS

I am still a little stunned.  When reflecting back on late 2013 and 2014.

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.

This result this year says a lot.  A moment in time.

If plan A does not work, well dont worry the alphabet has 25 more letters. 

744 is a number I will never forget. 

Start Moving

Hills and cols....

"Strait to it"

So here we are.  2 weeks until race day.  Looking out at a sunny Sunday morning I am going for my last long run before I start to relax in the lead in to Ironman Sweden. Its been a good year.  I feel I have moved forward, if only a little.  I have learned most of the battle is not physical.  Your body will do what you ask it, but your mind has to be asking and willing.  The easy path always shouts, you have to quieten that shout down and go the harder path.   

I agree.  It's possible.  Nearly time to operate out of my larger vision & and most importantly my imagination.

Moving Forward

Tri Athy - Double Olympic
A sunny day in Athy for the most part.  A steady swim coupled with a fast - ish bike and decent run.
All I needed to do was keep up with Eddie my 4:40 in Austria bike split fiend, I knew if he was in sight I had a chance.  I came in to T2 and there was Eddie, thats some bike he said, which one I said, "the one you did".
I smiled.  Maybe it was, but it was the run I was focused on.  Another 1:30 odd for 20K after a 80 - 90K bike.  Good to do, shame I wont hold that in August.


Tri an Mhi - National Half Distance
Ireland.  A national championship.  May. Freezing.  The water was unreal.  Struggled to put my face in.  As did everyone else.  When I came out though felt good.  Steady enough bike and decent run.  All in all faster than last year.  I was put back in my box by female champ on the day.  Inspiring stuff from Jen Duffy.  Hit by a car and knocked off the bike, I rolled past thinking to myself I hope she is not hurt.  Little did I know on the run she slowly caught me and passed me over the hill in the final segment.  Tough woman.

http://www.limericktriathlon.com/drupal/?q=content/tri-mhi-race-report-mike-lane

Limerick Half Marathon
Great to have the family over for a gathering and a half marathon.  Fair play to everyone for making the effort to get together.  It was an amazing weekend.  Got around the course too - just !

Elusive - Sub 40 off the Bike

An athlete who tells you the training is always easy and always fun simply hasn't been there. Goals can be elusive which makes the difficult journey all the more rewarding.
Alberto Salazar 

A difficult 3 weeks from the last week in March to the 2nd week in April had me wondering where things were headed.  A prolonged bout of sinus infection and low volume training for 3 weeks (sub 8 hours each week).  Oh dear my form is seems to be slipping and I don't feel to good.  Your body is simply an amazing thing more so than I think we ever give it credit for.

Un - scheduled rest can do you good it seems.  Apart from people in the way in the swim and some customary bumping in the lanes, Joey went well.  I wish the run had been twice the length, and that I didn't have to stop to get the bloody stones out of my shoes.  Still perhaps they played their part by keeping me well paced & focused.  Sub 40 off the bike & come to think of it an Olympic distance PB. Sweet. 

Roll on next week !

Philip MANUEL (30 - 34)

Place 42 

Time 02:14:13  Swim 00:30:16 Bike 01:02:26 Run 00:39:46

2013 Myans were wrong

We are still here. Plodding away.  It seems who-ever was trying to read the Myan Calender got it wrong.  Looking forward to 2013 and everything it will bring.  I think like the rest of the World I am fed up of Doom.  Lets get out there and try and conquer some things. 

No racing done this year its all about an emerging pattern after some serious holidays.  My mind wants to go further faster than I have before.  Padraig Harrington is a big believer in psychology and using your minds eye to visualise a positive outcome.

Here's to thinking, and smiling as you dream on.

Finding Sheep

I once Lost a Sheep in Kenmare but caught a gaze of him later, so I went back to find him again.  Yesterday's race may be the best triathlon result I have ever had. 39th overall.  After my disastrous drowning in Austria I have been hitting the pool in the mornings to see if I can make some headway. 34:08 swim for 1900M.  For me that is huge progress.  Transition was a light-year away from the swim exit, a run over the bridge in Kenmare in the wetsuit and goggles was rather novel, all 1.5K of it.  Enjoyed the bike section it is a epic course with great climbs up the Healy and Caha Pass, it is worth travelling to for the drive and sightseeing alone. Off the bike a bit slower than I though I would be but pretty fresh all the same.  The run course was harder than I remember. At time's on the way home stretch I didn't feel like I was moving to well.  So I was astonished to see afterwards 1:39:57.  In truth two of the hills towards the end had me walking so I was thinking 1:47 in my head.

Training, the process, the routine, seems to be all coming together and I am enjoying this sport more than ever.

Results


"It's never too late to become what you might have been".
-George Elliot

Our Watch Says....Philip Says

Did my first Long Run "only" in the push towards the Dublin Marathon this morning in a Sunny/Showery Cratloe Woods.  Feeling full of optimism towards this block of training.  The woods are a good place to run and the time flew by.  Perhaps it as the hills and ups and downs but 2 Hours 10 felt short. My trusty Polar told me I covered 17.8 Miles.  Here's to hoping that is the case. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.  The first couple of long ones are easy its after 6 or 7 Sundays the bed begins to feel like a trap.  Haha maybe 2 Sundays.

Next Tri is Olympic Distance in Dublin on 26th August, that is a Sunday Long Run day.  Suppose I will just have to get out and do a bit of running afterwards !  

Brian Boru last week. What can be said except out thoughts and prayers are with Liam Cahill who I hear is in a full body cast for the next ten weeks after the accident on the bike.   I am devasted this had to happen in a so called "home race".  Gut instinct is important and if it had not been said by a dozen people prior to the race that the bike course was dangerous perhaps I could accept what happened a little better. 

Klagenfurt 2012

Ironman Race briefings have a tendancy for nervous athletes to chuckle and laugh, and generally half listen to the guy who is laying down the law for the big day.  I was sitting with a truly epic representation of 30 Limerick Tri Club members.  This briefing was a little different to the last 2.  Everyone was listening intently.  "So we sent our race director far out into the lake with a thermometer, which he attached to an anchor that he then dropped to the very bottom of the lake......  and the water temperature at 7am was 24.9 degrees C.  This means no wetsuits will be allowed for the race."

Slightly nervous athletes now looked shocked and scared.  I actually expected it.  The heat was steady and very serious. I was not too bothered.  We were all in the same boat, but now I needed one.

Race day arrived and the atmospehere was brilliant.  2700 of us stood on the beach and the cannon went off.  I pretty quickly learnt that being on the middle of the pack in a non wetsuit swim is very different, every contact with other swimmers sinks you.  I was missing my wetsuit.  01:45 later I crawled out of the water.  I came out of the water in position 1910.  Is something wrong with me today I thought to myself.  Get that thought out of your head.

Ah sure I will jump on the bike and see.  Without alot of effort I was flying on the bike.  Eat well and was rock steady on the climbs.  Great course and unreal support. Closest thing to a tour stage I will do.  It sure was not flat.  But I like that.  Took it easy in the final stages and even took my feet out of the shoes 20K from home for some comfort, I was only too well aware of what was to come.  I came in off the bike in 1184.

Off the bike, changed and running.  It took 8 - 10 minutes and the magnitude of the heat, and the sunburn I got on the bike smashed into me.   Jesus christ I am on fire. Legs and heart were fine they wanted to go, but head said no - danger.  Heat danger.  Kept repeating.  It was an involuntary reaction. This was a run / walk. Again.  After 45 mins I felt like I was going to have to drop out. " No Philip, this is what you do, you have been here before.  Start counting 1, 2, 3, 4 - 10.  Stop walk.  Go again - 15, and so on.   Without a doubt the hardest marathon I have ever done.  It was nothing to do with training this was a complete mind game.  You cannot train for weather like this in the UK and you could see it in all the pale people's faces.  This was fucking hard. Mexicans, Isreal's, Spanish all flying around majority of whitey's...well suffering beyond belief.   I finished the run in 793.  I made up 1117 places on bike  & run.

I learnt more in Austria than in any other race I have ever done.  It was a serious insight and tested every weakness you had.  Not a day for strength's but a day for gaining them.  Still ironically day done with a personal best to boot, not by much, but with the odds that seemed stacked against me, a PB is a PB :-)

11:48:44  Swim 01:44:41 T1 00:03:43 Bike 05:39:58  T2 00:04:34  Run 04:15:47

EVL Halbmarathon

A rainy day during a German summer.  Good race.  3 Manuel's competing on the same day in a running race.  Must be a record.

1:28:10.  A PB.  3 seconds.  Not as planned but not bad.  And I wasn't the fastest Irish Man either.  That honour goes to Liam Condon who ironically hit my target time !

Richard, vielen dank für den push. Ich freue mich nun zu bewegen scheint.

Tri an Mhi - Snámh Oighear Fuar

Without a doubt the hardest Swim to Bike transition I will ever experience.  Lough Lene was cold.  Very cold.  Too cold for me.  I certainly had mild hypothermia when the temperature drop hit me as I stood in transition unable to make decisions or move my limbs properly.  With the help of a marshall I  managed to get my jacket on.  The T.I marshall had a long look at me, watching he said to me "if you cannot clip your own helmet you cannot continue". Shit.  I eventually managed it.  I struggled on to my bike unable to lift my head for about 20k.  For the first time ever I thought I will have to drop out of this one, it was so cold.  So I was faced with a hard question do I spin around and go back for a space blanket or do I raise my core temp myself?  Keep going.  Never seen Heart Rate as low in any bike race.  Two and a half hours in I began to feel right.  Then I got going.  Good finish to the bike and a decent run.


Mark Dempsey's tale "An old man told me years ago "April and May stay far from the sean June and July swim till you die".  

But this was a fresh lake as clear as glass in the middle of Meath.  
                        
Swim 00:45.16 / Holiday 1   00:03:42 / Bike 03:09:36 / T2 00:00:55
Run / 01:38:16 / Total 5:37:46

Limerck Half

Weather was pretty good.  I love when the met office get it wrong.  Its a fine line pacing.  I learnt today even 5 secs a mile too fast and you will slow in the last mile.  Lactic acid has am amazing ability to creep up on you.

Anyway another good day on the pods and I think I was under 1:28:30. 

Funny things PB's, I thought I could have gone faster but I have never had a measured 1/2 marathon time as fast.

Big training week this week for me anyway.  2 x 5 Hour Bricks and a Half ironman on Saturday to keep me on my toes.

Ironman certainly doesn't let you lie....

Joey Hannon - A Windy Day Literally

Swim 00:30:31 T1 00:01:01 Cycle 01:08:04 T2 00:00:58 Run Lap 1 00:22:13 Lap 2 00:22:59 Total 02:25:47


PB in a pool swim for me. Progress. In my two weak individual disciplines I am
setting PB's this season in solo events. Best 1500 swim, best 10Km best 10 mile
soon to be best half marathon but it does not seem to be tying itself together this year.
A golfer changing swing is the way I am looking at it. I will make sure it is the Faldo way, don't want to do a Padraig Harrington.


Life is full of lessons, thankfully I am a quick learner. Oh except for the swim ;-0

North Tipp Wobble

Fair Play Nenagh Tri Club.  Great, Well Organised Race.

New Season means New Kit.  Words of advice don't change every piece of Kit you own in the Week before your new race.  Having said that potential is a serious thing and the new set up will be searingly fast once I practice, and re - learn the skills required to get my feet into my bike shoes, cycle in straight line, & put my tight running shoes on.  So with that on a sunny April morning I am off for a cycle....along a white line somewhere....

Mallow & Monkies

St Patricks weekend you would expect there to be more weight in people's step.  Not the case.  Recessions are good for one thing, getting people out and doing some excersize.  Great turn out for a 10 miler in Mallow Co Cork about 1100.

Finally the sub 70 monkey is off my back.  Time to move forward.

1:06:36 MANUEL, Philip LIMERICK TRIATHLON CLUB M MS 00:06:40

Long & Short of It - VO2

64.2 MG (ml O2 / Kg / min) Now I have the numbers. The zones and major motivation.

Philip,

Your lung Capacity was great and your Anaerobic Threshold was even better. I know you said it surprised you alot but we now know you have the potential to go faster without hurting your body so do so. It will take a good bit of work but you defo have the potential to do Long distances at a great speed. You would want to be careful to stay in your zones because you will be hit hard very quickly if you were to stay above 174 for any length of time, don't be afraid to go over it for a short period of time as we seen your body recovers well so do push a little but because you have such a high threshold you don't necessarily have to do this too often.

Time to work hard and smart.

Thanks to Sean for testing the club members.   

http://www.myhealthmatters.ie/ 

Very worthwhile. 

Limerick Duathlon

Position :(14) Philip Manuel 1:13:55 Male Run (16) 0:17:46 Bike (7) 0:35:15  Run 2 (30) 0:19:34

2 x 4.5 K Run & a 20K Bike.

No sprint finish this time around.

Dungarvan off the Map

Decided better to get out for a 2 Hour Bike and a 1 hour run, rather than drive over to Dungarvan for the 10 miler, I could have cycled over but no point in frying myself now....is there.

2012

Here is to 2012.

Time to train and go back Racing.

Time Flies

Element of Surprise.   Can't believe it is July since I last put up a post.

Couple of races completed since.  Nothing spectacular.   Just tried and trusted events.  Events I need to do more frequently.

Frank Duffy 10 Mile   1:13:12

Dublin Half Marathon 1:38:02

Simple question.  Is there I want to be at this point in time. No.

Will be no personal best for me in October.  And I won't run if that's not the case.

Toes a small part

Small parts of our bodies.  Toes.  Your big one is the daddy of them all.  You rely on it.  Trust me oh how you rely on it.   Sliced the big toe on my right foot open when waterski - ing about 2 weeks back.  Just on the point where you place your toe down when walking and running.  Hence it does not want to heal.  Makes a big difference not having full use.  Anyway lesson learned where boots when ski - ing or tape your toes up.
Couple of races one pre toe & pre training and one post toe.

Hell of The West Relay - 46:03

Irish Runner 5 Mile       - 35:18

Better now so back training. Will be a nice long run in the mist today and the forecast says its sunny.  

Lanzorate

As far as race's I have done go; very few have or will live up to Ironman Lanzorate.  I would go as far to say that it is not actually a race, more a journey into your mind and soul.   It was a truly epic day.  Epic scenary and of course the wind & heat were epic too.

I loved it.  Absolutely loved it.  One of the best days of my life. It seems all the trials in the lead up to this one made it all the more satisfying.  Result was average enough but still decent considering they call it the toughest Ironman on the planet.  And I was happiest with my Bike.

Swim 01:11:27 T1 06:15 Bike 06:37:16 T2 04:43 Run 04:15:56 Total 12:15:36.

Will ponder now what "long" one to do next, there will be another.

For now I will think of the recovering and working towards Dublin marathon in October.

It is amazing to think that the infamous Geb uttered the words below, funny they seem to apply to me also.

I have to change a lot of things before I become a good marathon runner.
Haile Gebrselassie

I haven't done a marathon for a long time. So we'll see. I will need good luck.
Haile Gebrselassie

Quote of the Day

I signed up a few years back to Runners World quote of the day.  It has an uncanny knack of sending truly relevant ones at the right time.  I am just putting the bike box in the car to travel to arguably the world's toughest Ironman in Lanzorate, Canary Islands.  And runners world send me this :


With the proper motivation, that is, a good reason for wanting to do it, your mind can overcome any sort of adversity.

Franz Stampfl, running coach

Magic Johnson

In the words of the great sportsman and icon Earvin Magic Johnson;

""Any guy who can maintain a positive attitude without much playing time certainly earns my respect." 
---Earvin "Magic" Johnson"

Time to earn that respect.

5 Days and counting to IM Lanzorate.  I can't wait.  Bring it.

The trophies mean nothing. The glory will fade. In the end all that is important is your happiness.

Direction of the Wind

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination.   The order of life.  1st of all I am an individual. 2nd of all I am a Husband, 3rd of all I am an Employee and then I am an Athlete.

Once you have each of the these area's in good working order your inner Athlete will improve.  I have made a change in area number 3.  The decision has been the correct one.  Purely because the top 2 area's have improved.

On the Athlete front I have unfinished business and actually had forgotten what brought me to endurance sport in the first place; running.  I love it but left it aside while Triathlon took hold. 

I have made no improvement on personal best times in 10K, Half Marathon or the Marathon over the last 18 months.  My mind is thinking this is simply not good enough.  My body is telling me the same thing.

Increasing distance may not be the most efficient way to get  better, a 100 mile week may be no better than a 50 mile week. Quality.  Time to pay attention to training sessions and not just go out for an hour at the same pace.

Season goals have changed.  Races have changed.  I have changed.  The result - I had to adjust my sail. 

Marcus Aurelius

Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears. –Marcus Aurelius


2011 has not been all sunshine and rainbows. A series of "issues" have caused the direction I was travelling to be altered. Everything happens for a reason. I have not raced in ages.


I was really disappointed to have to pull out of the European Duathlon Championships in Limerick last weekend. I may not have been in the best shape for the race after a mixed couple of weeks of illness, temperature and migraine. I still had a tear in my eye walking away from the course on Saturday all the same. Anyone who loves this sport will know how I felt. It was good to help out though and I have to say standing at the finish line I saw a thousand stories. Motivation huh?


And to top it all off yesterday a Hamstring strain comes on to the field of play.


Bit like bonus time. Lots of things making me re-focus. Illness due to less than perfect nutrition & injury due to poor flexibility. Guess what I will be adding to the program and making sure I get it perfected.


Limbo now. Will make my decision on the rest of the season in Lanzorate whilst going around the windy island. What do I want from the sport? What do I want from myself? What changes are neccessary?


I will have 17 hours to think about that and season 2011 in a wetsuit, on a saddle and then on the run in the blazing son.


Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. - Michael Jordan


Damn right Michael, damn right.

On the Road

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit


Someone told me that often life gets in the way of training. I have decided to move the goalposts a little.  A new role, a new outlook.


Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.  ~Pauline R. Kezer

Camp

Flying to Lanzorate tomorrow for a training camp for the week.  Will set me straight.   Feel like I am getting stronger all the time as each weak is passing.  Only time will tell, but feeling good now all the same.

So approx 21 hours training on schedule from 7th -10th March, followed by a more relaxed week, all in the name of going further or faster, actually just to bring a smile.  Club la Santa here we come.  Pic above from Limerick Duathlon, christmas cake still on show.  The cake is soon to be killed off however....

Ironman vs Ultrarunner

Dungarvan10

Was not expecting much.  In truth it has been the worst winter of training I have had in 4 years.  I have had no structure since October and was hit and miss nearly every session.  If there was a session.  Last block I completed was 3 weeks long and finished just before the start of November.  Then it was a day here a day there and then maybe not a day for a week. All winter.

Boru Tri Club established itself in Killaloe.  Local. Easy to get to sessions.  I could no longer make any excuses.  So on Monday I ventured back out into the training world and went for a run.  It was great.  20 turned out for the 1st session.  How cool.  And a sign of far Triathlon has come in Ireland.  A club in little old Killaloe. Did a bit on the turbo Tuesday, some Hill running Wednesday with some real runners  (sweet Jesus), weights and turbo Thursday, swim Friday and Saturday a run where my legs felt like crap and my heart was equally heavy.  I would never even break 80 minutes tomorrow, oh dear.

This morning I plodded around and warmed up for 10 minutes.  Stood in the crowd at the start line.  Just stood pondering.  How was I going to run this one.  Go out easy and see how you feel. So I did.  Checked pace at mile 1, 8 minutes bang on.  Fair enough.  I just let the miles tip by and realised I was increasing by 15 secs per mile up to the 6 mile mark.  I felt good. Odd I was wrecked yesterday after 3 miles at 7:40 and I was winding up to 6:50 today and feeling great.  Held on between 6:50 & 7:15 for the last 4.  Finish 72:30.  How the hell did I do that?  My P.B for 10 miles is 70:10 and I ran 6 days a week for 3 months to get it.

Your body doesn't really forget, once you smile and listen to the 2 key thing's.  Your experience & what your body is telling you.   Pacing is crucial.

Even when out of shape you can do just fine.

Mallow 10

First Race of the season. Cancelled.  Weather conditions deemed to cold and hence unsafe for the participants.  I was jealous however when sitting on the couch this afternoon watching Mo Farah win the World Cross Country Champs in Edinburgh in the snow over what looked like a very exciting course.

Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have nature and that is much better. 
Juha Väätäinen, Finland


Time for a run.

Dare to Be Great

No Dare to be powerful beyond Measure.  No text this time, sometimes it is just better to listen.  Play the audio track by clicking on the link above.

This one is for my wife, my uncle Richard and for the first time in years, most of all me.

Finish Line for 2010

2010. What a year. The Ironman was a fantastic experience.  Thank you to all who offered encouragement, support and sponsorship.  Thank you to Ulster Bank who doubled the money I had raised by donating a generous €5000 to the Mannix Kane Appeal on my behalf.  Total Sponsorship raised in the region of €7500.
Success.

Just by getting off my behind and trying to do something for some-one else I enjoyed a lot of small success's this year, moments in my life I will never forget.  Not only did I go further than I ever have before, I went faster too.  I was given the privilege of racing in the European Championships on my own doorstep, and the World Championships in Budapest.  At the start of 2010 I really did not see any of this.

Is there a lesson in this experience for me, for people?  Motivation is mostly an internal thing, but sometimes external factors come along that will bring you to the next level.  Open our minds to believe you can improve go further.  It's not as hard as we sometimes think.

DCT & End of Season Finale

Post Ironman is not a merry go round.  Racing an Olympic distance races 3 weeks after an Ironman is not wise.  Went to Dublin for the National Champs and pottered around.  Fairly average stuff.  Fairly average sort of day.  But this is not time for sitting on one's laurels.  (Finish time posted to the right for DCT)

Why? To blow out the cob webs.  To feel rotten before the season finale. Time to head to the world championships in Budapest.

I have to read that back to myself.  Should I be going?  Many would say no, but I would say "well why are you not going then?

Take your chances when they come, it may be the only one you get. Best of luck to all the Irish going over to race.  That makes me proud, all the Irish.

Slan Tamall.

Ironman UK 2010

I always seem to be thinking about inspiration.  Its effect on people and how it can make a person accomplish things they never thought possible.  I was inspired.  Mannix Kane.  His battle with cancer brought my mind in a new direction.  Focused me.  4 Years of age.  Fighting away, not knowing any different.  Why do people without any real difficulties or illness have so much self doubt? You can. You just need to believe. But you have to fight, and you have to want to fight.  So why decide not too, or worse decide its too difficult.  You only have 1 life.

At 5:45 on Sunday morning I entered the water in Pennington flash with 1250 other hopefuls.  It was only then the magnitude of the whole thing hit me.  My stomach was in a very bad way, I nearly threw up in the water before the start.  My heart rate was 130 BPM and I was only floating there.  Never in my life have I felt anything like it.  And once I got going I was fine. More than fine.  I knew the moment I came out of the swim within my swim target time, the day was mine.  I had not seen the bike course or the run course, no knowledge, but I had this feeling inside , I just knew no matter what I faced through the day I would get to the finish, and get to it well.

The bike was tough but I enjoyed every minute.  It took longer than expected but I paced it well and felt great on the climbs.  I could go into detail here but to describe the course would take a few pages.  It was a climbers course, hills, headwind, twists and turns, technical downhill sections.  Grind it out. 2183 metres of climbing.  Yes metres not feet.

The marathon course was varied to say the least.  Straight out of T2 you hit a wicked uphill section into a forest on muddy trails, then back down to Bolton city streets for a bit, then back on to a trail, up a mental incline and back towards the finish.  You got turned away from the finish and back along the same course for 3 laps. It was not an easy marathon course and not flat.  But that didn't matter.  My legs felt great.  All run.  This was marathon number 9 for me and was one of the best I have run, close to many of the individual times I have done in the past. I didn't feel bad at any stage during the day.  I set a goal of 12 hours I reached it.  But if I had known the course beforehand there is no way I would have set it at 12, maybe 13.  See what I mean about self doubt !

Anyway I would like to leave you with a poem by Jon Blais, the blazeman, I think this sums it up nicely.

"LIve life more than your neighbours unleash yourself upon the world and go places, 

Go now, giggle, no Laugh; 

Bark at the moon like the wild dog that you are 

understand that this is not a dress-rehearsal; this is it, 

your life, 

face your fears and live your dreams, take it all in, yes every chance you get;

come close

and

by all means whatever you do get it on film" 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vrjp2P0GlE


Total           Swim           T1           Bike           T2          Run
11:55:51 /  01:14:21 /   01:19 /   06:41:34 /   03:49 /   03:51:05

267th out of 1093 finishers.

ETU European Championships 2010

Back to where it all started for me.  Three years ago I did a Try a Try in Athlone on a rusty, heavy steel old racer I bought off Ebay and got fleeced for.  200M Swim / 20K Bike / 5K run in a truly shocking 1:17:58.  It was not realy a bike at all just a load of steel that resembled a bike.  This morning I had the privilege of representing my country in the Age Group European Championships.  In a way I am lost for words.  I cant say I am a winner or in the mix for awards, but I was not just a token competitor either.  Very much middle of the road and that is a great place to be. Its not too serious. Gives me time to really enjoy it.  There is very much room for improvement but I can see how and where the improvement can come from now.  It is very satisfying to to look back and see how far I have travelled, since I first laced up my brand new Asics Kayano's and waddled off for a run, well jog, actually a walk about 4 years ago.

The biggest event of my life is only a few weeks away.  It is a special time for me, but I can't help but feel guilty and actually quite sad.  If it were not for Mannix Kane and the push his situation gave me, I would not be at this stage in 2010.  I would not be considering an Ironman. And at this point I cant imagine life without it.

Kilkee and the sun shines

Hell of the West 2010.  A well organised and brilliant race.  Limerick Triathlon Club surpassed themselves.  Best layout, marshaling and organisation of a race in the country.  Congratulations to C Murphy and the team, the buzz before, during and, well after the race was fantastic.  I left before the party started afterwards so as not to succumb to temptation.

I felt good all day in swim, bike and run.  Seem to have found the threshold I can operate at without blowing up in the run.  A good improvement on last year.  But not in the area's I thought.  Swim was much better, bike a little better but I had a lot more left for the run.  When I crossed the finish line I was surprised,  I wasn't really tired at all.  Breath was back before I left the finish zone with my bottle of water.  Didn't push hard enough or just comfortable in what I am doing.  I think the latter.


Position 79 /Philip Manuel M (30 - 34) Swim 00:28:45 (230) / T1 00:00:48 (41) / Bike 01:15:52 (50) / T2 00:00:38 (20) / 00:45:46 (125) / Total 02:31:47.

For the 1st time in the finish zone this year I had a thought to myself.  I really now believe that I can get Bolton done.  I felt like going around the course again and again........

Tough Times

OK.  It is getting tough for me.  Tired, heavy legs thoughts through my mind. I cant imagine how it is for the little guy.  To wake up every day and have to fight with everything you got.  Got to keep going........

Fastnet

Another weekend another race.  37th Place.  Should have been higher.  Mucked up the bike, on the plus recovered on the tun and had a decent plod home.  Cant help but think there is a lot more in the tank.  How the hell do you access it though........

Swim                   T1   Bike                   T2   Run                    Total      

 0:15:13 (111) 1:43 0:39:26 (34) 1:29 0:20:23 (32) 1:18:14

Tri Athy

Its a good race.  Seemed quieter this year.  Small waves only 80 in each one, I was in the last one.  Saw, well no one in the swim really very peaceful.  Hopped out, took it steady on the bike for first lap and then hammered it for the second.  Caught and passed a lot of people on the final stretch home on the bike. Not as much as Ivan O Gorman though, thunder - legs himself jesus what a difference a year makes. Passed me like I was standing still. My run was average, strange run in Athy pretty bumpy in parts but scenic none the less.

No faster than last year due to different swim route. I think it made all the difference.  More realistic times for an Olympic race.

Happy enough. Swim 30:02 / T1 01:15 / Bike 01:06:12 / T2 01:07 / Run 44:40 / Total 2:23:20.  87th Overall.

I saw Bryan Mc Crystal in the flesh for the first time briefly as he sped past on the bike.  Inspiring stuff.  He has a rocket ship not a bike.  He put in a truly unbelievable 56:17.  A blistering average of 42.64 Kmh or 26.5mph. Think of it this way in 2008 on the same course in better conditions Frazer Cartmell did 55:15, Gavin Noble did 57:46, Rich Stannard 1:01:10.  Bryan himself did 1:01:44.  He is six minutes quicker than 08 when already doing very fast times, holy shit.  The national series may be about to get retained.  Unless Art, D Graham, and others start mixing it with the normals. Fascinating stuff.