Hello Everyone

I’m the other half of Team MTBRider and even I am tired after reading Simon’s training schedule for this week!! I too have competed in a few long distance events and multi-sport events over the years and train 3 or 4 times per week (family permitting) pretty much all year round.

The months leading up to May were taken up with preparation for the Irish Adventure Challenge and from then it has all been about the Transalp. I have been combining long road spins with long days on the mountain bike trying to build on whatever strength and endurance I have! Now with three weeks to go I will put in a “hard” week this week and then slacken off somewhat which will allow me some time to go over all I need to get sorted for the event, get the bags packed and spend a few more hours with my wife and daughter before jetting off to Munich on the 13 July.

I don’t know if it is an advantage but I have done the Transalp before (in 2004) and I must say for organisation, scenery and out and out mountain bike trails it is the best event that I have ever taken part in. Some of the climbs are killers but you will be guaranteed that there are some amazing trails on the way down the other side – dusty, deserted roads, endless singletrack through forests in Austria, Switzerland and North Italy and super fast road descents – the Transalp has it all.

This day three weeks we will be on our third day and on our way to Scuol in Switzerland – we’ll keep you posted as we go.

Good luck for now ………….. Rowan