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THE CASE OF THE MISSING MOJO

5/2/13
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The fireworks have exploded, gym memberships have been purchased (and promptly forgotten about by half the population), it’s raining, its cold, it’s still dark at 4.30pm (at least it is in the UK), and progress towards your virtuous, vodka-fuelled New Year resolutions maybe experiencing a slight winter wobble.  Of all the questions I am asked, the most common has to be ‘how do you stay motivated?’ People tend to assume that pros are blessed with unwavering and limitless drive, determination and vitality; that we never feel lethargic or lazy, and that the thought of donning the passion-killing ‘onesie’ and performing a sofa-slump never crosses our minds. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I, like the rest of the human race, suffer from motivational ebbs and flows. The key is that we learn to prevent or else recognize, manage and mitigate mojo-malaise – preventing it from totally derailing us from the pursuit of our goals.

So how do we solve the case of the missing mojo, put a Chariots of Fire’work up our onesie wearing backsides and quash the voice that says “Put your feet up. Have a doughnut?” Here are some of the strategies that all can use, in sport and in life, to ensure we don’t let a slump become a total standstill.

1. “Everybody’s Gotta Have a Dream. What’s Your Dream?’ Lounging in a jakuzzi with Richard Gere is an admirable aspiration, but you…

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Announcements, nervousness and new beginnings

3/12/12
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 “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Over the past 12 months I have had time to reflect and think about my life journey thus far and also of my future.  Being a professional ironman athlete has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined, and been so fortunate to travel to some beautiful places, compete against the best athletes in the world, and forge many lasting friendships. Those life-changing experiences and memories will stay with me forever.

When I first became…

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Stripping Down

11/9/12

I first wrote this blog for 220 Magazine, but thought i would share it with those not fortunate enough to be able to get their hands on copies of this wonderful publication

So yes…..i wanted to say a few words about ‘stripping down’. Although naked triathlon might appeal to the liberal few who like to let it all hang out, I am not talking birthday suit sport. Instead I am referring to the need to sometimes strip ourselves of the gadgets, gizmos, widgets and paraphernalia that dominate our sport and get back to basics. Sport for sports sake. A return to the ‘raw’ as it were.

One of the reasons I felt I needed to take a break from…

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Raising the Bar: ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’

30/7/12

I was at a work conference in 2002, a few weeks before I ran the London Marathon. The conference conversation was so stimulating that I started chatting to a colleague about running. He looked me up and down, and said ‘I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you will never be a good runner. Your Q angle is too big.” A nice way to urinate on my fire. I still haven’t got a clue what such an angle is, but, regardless, I feel I have since managed to defy his ideas of what was possible for me and my big Q to achieve (as well as perhaps demonstrating his lack thereof of any high ‘I’ related ‘Q’).…

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TURNING TURDS INTO TRIUMPHS

10/7/12
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As the Olympics draws ever closer many professional triathletes have realised their often lifelong dream of getting to the Games; managing to secure a place on their national team and participate in what will be the biggest sporting spectacle the world has ever seen. Their qualification is the result of years of dedication, hard work and perseverance. But for every athlete that has achieved their holy grail there will be others who did not qualified, who have to cope with the intense disappointment, frustration and even anger of having the Olympic ringed rug pulled from under them. Of course, it is not only professional athletes that have to deal with disappointment, especially sessions or races that have,…

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Lost passport: Muppet strikes again

25/5/12

I arrived at Chicago airport this morning, ready to board the flight to Toronto, only to realise that i had misplaced my passport. I have retraced every step and the elusive travel document has still not been found. Unfortunately this means that i can’t fly to Canada (or if i did i couldn’t then get back into US or fly onto UK), and so it is with great sadness that i am going to have to cancel the event at GEARS Bike Shop tonight. I really hate letting people down and was so incredibly excited about coming to Canada – words cannot express how sorry i am to inconvenience and disappoint everyone that planned on attending the event. Please accept…

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In memory of Frank

5/2/12
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Almost five weeks has gone by since the death of one of the most influential people in my life, and one of the most influential people ever to have graced the sporting fraternity. That person was a wonderful man by the name of Frank Horwill. Frank died on New Years Day 2012 aged 84. His body may have departed, but his legacy will forever live on in my memory, and in the thousands of other’s whose lives he so selflessly, generously and inspirationally touched. Those words are Frank in a nutshell. Selfless, generous and inspirational. And to that I would add intelligent, witty, non-conformist, loyal, passionate, energetic, and side splittingly funny. He was a man of many talents, some of…

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SPOTY : A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

5/12/11

The build up to the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) Award has caused more than a few raised eyebrows. The selection process, for those who are not aware, is relatively simple. The BBC selects a panel of ‘leading sports experts’ from various national and regional newspapers and magazines, who are asked to choose their top ten sportsmen or women “whose actions have most captured the public’s imagination in 2011”. From these nominations the shortlist is compiled. This list of publications and their nominations is at the following link. The BBC’s judging terms and conditions are here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/9084058.stm

I have been vocal in my reaction to the shortlist and, with week’s worth of water having passed under the bridge,…

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SEASONS END: ‘HAVING IT OFF’

7/11/11
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It’s getting to that time of year, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, when the triathlon ‘events’ list starts to look as sparse as the toilet paper in a porta potty on race morning; snow/rain and other such precipitous delights feature in the forecasts; your clothing has the words ‘long’, ‘warmer’, ‘fleece lined’ in the name and the lycra you have worn every day for the past year has started to reveal cracks that shouldn’t be made public. Yes, it’s autumn, or ‘fall’ for those North America readers.

For many athletes this means only one thing – ‘having it off’. Any wife/husband/partner reading this might jump for joy at these three (rarely used in the life of an exhausted triathlete)…

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World Ironman Championships: beyond my wildest dreams

21/10/11
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Every once in while you are blessed with a very special day when history is rewritten, records fall and you surpass your own notions of what is possible to achieve. On 8 October Craig Alexander broke the long standing course record to take his third World Championship win, age group records fell, athletes overcame personal struggles and finishers finally grasped their own personal holy grail. I am so proud to have been part of that historical day.

This blog reiterates, and adds to, the messages I tried my best to convey at the Awards Ceremony. I apologize for my tardiness in putting fingers to keyboard, but there were some serious celebrations to take care of, some luxuriating to be done…

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