Back from Florida.

Well after three weeks on holiday it's back to work with a full week of massage. Although winter is setting in there are still events to be reported.
Once again Richie Webster is the star with a week in the Kalahari Desert. a stage race run off in, some days, 49 degree heat. It seems to average out as a marathon every day for 7 days. Richies best result was 4th on a 50 mile stage. Phew! I found it tough walking round Disney in 30 degree heat!!!
He is back to 9 degrees and torrential rain at the Snowdon marathon last Saturday but a very creditable 3 hours 10 minutes. Well done.
Also a good result for John Tinkler at Snowdon with a 4 hours 40 minutes, banishing his demons from last year when he abandoned the race.
Good luck to Jane Roberts for next Saturday when she competes in her second Iron Man in Florida. Least it should be sunny!!

More great results!!

Great news for Susan Maire who, after her great result at Bala tri-athlon has been invited to compete for Great Britain in the World Championships in Spain next year. Well done.
Good results from Tatton Park Olympic Tri,
Dan Ruygrok 2 Hours 10 Minutes 36 Seconds giving him 12Th place overall.

Anglesey Marathon
Richie Webster 3 Hours 3 Minutes giving him 8Th place on the day.
Good luck to Richie Webster this month as he tackles another crazy stage race in the Kalahari desert. Preparation's are underway. Good luck mate.

Not quite sure what will be tougher, the Kalahari Desert or Disney in Florida. I'll be thinking about you Rich!!

Super Tri-athletes!!!

Some great results from well massaged Tri-athletes in local events, (or not so local)
Isle of Man Tri-athlon (Olympic distance)
Phil Cuthbert 2 Hours 33 Minutes
Alison Engle 2 Hours 49 Minutes 52 Seconds

North West Tri-athlon (Sprint Distance)
Dan Ruygrok 1 Hour 3 Minutes 33 Seconds Winner of his age group and 12th overall
Chris Williams 1 Hour 21 Minutes 32 Seconds
Rolf Westrum 1 Hour 26 Minutes 30 Seconds

Bala Tri-athlon (Olympic Distance)
Susan Maire 2 Hours 36 Minutes (10 minutes off last years time and a supberb PB)

Of course 1 other person to mention is the awesome athlete Richie Webster. He completed the shortened version of the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc. The race was called off after 15 KM due to bad weather and then restarted the next day for a "sprint" of 100KM instead of the planned 100 miles! Well ,done to him.
Oh, and he came back to the real world with a creditable 7th in last Sundays Hoylake 10K.
Some cracking times there, all down to some great massage by me of course. (??)
Well done to you all.

Events!

As I'm devoid of any events to participate in due to injury being busy or just plain old lazy, I've got to rely on my clients to provide some sporting excellence.
Well done to Dan Ruygrok who took part in the "Tough Guy Nettle Warrior" cross country race that also included an assault course. A tough 9 miles in 2 hours giving him a very respectable 4th place.
Richie Webster continues to astound by bouncing back from a terrible mountain bike accident recently to take part in the Ubaye Trail marathon in the Ubaye Valley in the Southern French Alps. 42 Km and 2200 metres of climbing, all done in a time of 5 hours 30 minutes. Awesome!!
Well done to both.

Recovering!!

Phew! The broken Spoke was one hell of a ride. 88 miles of up and down, what felt like every hill in North Wales. Even the Horse Shoe Pass felt like an Alpine pass! What a great event though, and we even missed the rain! Well done Steve Gauller for a great event and I believe he is already planning next years event. It will get even better he tells me.
My legs were still sore on Tuesday but a bit of gentle stretching helped nurse them back into the land of the living at least my foot didn't hurt! I'm starting to do some walking to work and it's not too bad. Still waiting for my appointment with the NHS Orthopod to be measured up for orthotics. But it is the NHS though!!!
It's been 6 weeks since I first saw the consultant who sussed my leg discrepancy.
I suppose it takes time.

Playing catch up!

The Broken Spoke is almost upon us. I've been getting some miles in on the bike but only at weekends but I'm hoping a couple of turbo sessions may just keep my legs moving ready for Sundays ride.
Really thought my Plantar Fasciitis was on the mend but a walk to work and back yesterday (2 miles in all!!) has left me reaching for the ice pack and it's bloody painful this morning. When will I get rid??!!
I'm off on to the turbo now before work.
Where is that Ipod??

The Broken Spoke.

No it's not a mechanical failure. It's a Sportive organised by my good friend Steve Gauller. So on August 1st I'm riding 80 miles through Cheshire and into Wales.
It's a long time since I rode that far so I'm desperately trying to get some miles in. 70 miles last Saturday!! God it hurt, coming up over the Bwlych up to the Clywd Gate was hell for me. Did I ache the next day!
Strangely enough, I enjoyed it.
The Turbo this morning wasn't half as bad!!
Better get out this weekend.

Hotter and hotter!!!

This Summer looks like it's going to be a good one. Temperatures are soring which I suppose is not great for anyone competing but great for couch potatoes who can just move the couch outside!!!
The 2nd Liverpool Tri-Athlon was run last Sunday in very hot conditions but some great results from Massage for Life clients.

Susan Maire 2 Hours 39 Minutes (2nd in her age group)
Susie Coughlan 2 Hours 48 Minutes
Jane Roberts 3 Hours
Well done girls!!

I'm planning on a Sportive in August, an 80 miler. I haven't ridden 80 miles in years so I better get some miles in! Lets hope the weather stays good, Least I'll get a tan!!

Great results!!

As the summer kicks in (I think it has) more great results are coming in.
A fine day out for Susan Maire at Chester Tri Athlon on Sunday 6th June. She completed the course in 2 hours 44 minutes giving her 4th in her age group.
Ultra marathon runner Richie Webster completed the Verdon Canyon Ultra Marathon challenge last weekend in 21 hours, 3 hours faster than the previous year. This is an awesome run across the Verdon Gorge in France covering 100 kilometers. Go to Richie Blog via the link on the home page for more info.
Well done to you both.

A busy weekend.

The bank holiday weekend proved busy and succesfull for clients of Massage for Life. Another fantastic event organised by Alan Rothwell at run Liverpool. The Mersey tunnel 10k was once again blessed with good weather although a little windy for some. (Does Alan organise the weather as well!)
Mersey Tunnel 10k.
Richie Webster 37 Minutes 29 Seconds (24th place)
Chris Williams 47 Minutes 40 Seconds (A superb PB for Chris)
Jane Roberts 59 Minutes 48 Seconds
With due respect to everyone else my top marathon men were out on Bank Holiday Monday at the very first Chester Marathon.
Chester Marathon
Mark Dodd 2 Hours 49 Minutes 28 Seconds
Richie Webster 2 Hours 54 Minutes 3 Seconds.
On a slightly more sedate note a great result for Paul Saville from Wallasey in the Wallasey Parks Merit Bowls tournament. He took the win in confortable fashion. He will now be one of the guys representing Wallasey in the British Parks Senior Tournament later on in the year. Well done Paul.
If your keen to find out more about the sport of bowls check out the Wallasey bowls website by following the link on the homepage.