Another DNS! but a new coach and an England call up!

Happy New Year everyone,

Unfortunately I now won't be running the televised Great Edinburgh XC this coming weekend, which is very disappointing. The mild stomach bug I picked up over xmas just didnt want to go away and also got together over the last few days with it's friend the common cold! Whilst there is still 5 days to the race, I took the decision due to a combination of a lack of hard training and with my cold still hanging around. My main priority is to get healthy again and set my targets on the World Cross Trials in March. If there is such a thing, a good time to get a cold would be now! so with a need improved immune system built up I plan to ease back into training over the back end of this week and get stuck into things properly from Monday next week.

On the plus side I have been selected to respresent England in a XC International in Italy at the end of the month so I have much to look forward too in the short term. The Race is called Cinque Mulini (which means the 5 windmills I understand) this is a very good intl race with a lot of history behind it. I had to turn down two England Vest opportunities recently due to other committments but thanks to my mother who has kindly agreed to have Thomas for a night (the wife is also away - her first trip away from Thomas since he was born) I am now able to go to Italy for this one.

Other good news I have now linked up with John Nuttal, who is a UKA Endurance coach based at Loughborough Uni. John who was an established Intl in his day in the 90's now works out of the Uni during the week and will be helping me with training going forward. This will mean opportunities to train with a group in the UK as and when required and get access for lab testing (I will provide details about what that involves in a few weeks), which I can afford thanks to my sponsors Cannon.

Various doors seem to be opening for me over the last few months after a frustration 2008 summer of racing, my good luck charm - Thomas seems to have done the trick! so here's to a successful 2009!

Cheers

Lee