The 12^th of October 2019 had been a date etched on my mind for many months, if not years before the date finally came around.

Some of you may have read the TLA update which explained that I had finally managed to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. There was nothing more complicated to this very simple goal; get that qualification slot!

As you may expect, the whole trip was a complete dream. At no point was I underwhelmed by the location, build up, conditions or the event itself. This can often be the case after so many years of chasing that ultimate goal, so it was a huge relief that everything lived up to the mythical expectations I had of Kona.

Despite the best efforts from TLA, I somehow managed to pick up a very painful foot injury before I boarded the plane. What are the chances!? The truth is, quite high due to the amount of training we do to get ready for such an occasion. So unfortunately running was not on the agenda in the final build up to the race. However, I was determined to make the most of the opportunity with whatever was going to be thrown at me during this trip.

I was lucky enough to spend the best part of 3 weeks at the venue pre race to give myself the best chance of acclimatising to the heat, humidity and high winds Kona is so renowned for. I believe this worked an absolute treat for me!

I find it hard to put into words how race day actually went. It was all such a blur of surreal moments! Instead of getting it all lost in too many words, here is my attempt at sharing the first thoughts that come to mind when thinking about it all:

Pre Race:

• Swimming with dolphins most mornings brought a tear to my eyes.
• Never seen so many physically fit human beings congregated in one place.
• So hot, so windy!
• Despite the tension building every day, the atmosphere remained incredibly relaxed and everyone welcomed a chat or to team up on a training session.

Race Day:

• So hot, so windy!
• Why are we racing so quickly!? We’ve only just started…
• Just focus on looking after yourself and giving myself the best possible chance of finishing the race. Especially due to the foot injury.
• Finally got to the run. Now the fun starts…
• After 1hour of the run done, I knew I was going to be able to finish the full marathon even if I have to walk it as the pain was manageable.
• I can see my family. I can hear the finish line. This is the moment I have dreamt of for years. Be thankful for every second!

Swim 3.8km:1h

Bike 180km: 5h 2mins

Run 42km: 3h 17mins

Total time: 9h 27mins

220^th overall including professionals (out of 2,500 participants) and 49^th in Age Group (30-34).

It goes without saying that I am slightly disappointed with that result as I was unable to explore my full potential due to the foot injury. But that’s the beauty as it means I have unfinished business in Hawaii…

Thanks to my family for being out there and for everyone who has helped along the way.

Special thanks to:

TLA!

Precision Hydration

Rachel Hallam

Name: Chris Palfreyman | Age: 30 | Location: Boars Hill, Oxford

Sport: Long Distance Triathlon/Ironman (Swim 3.8km, Bike 180km, Run 42km)

Next Race: ITU Long Distance World Champs, Spain.

2019 Main Objective: To perform well at Ironman World Champs, Hawaii.

In 2014 I first had the idea (‘dream’) of trying to qualify for the Ironman World Champs in Kona, Hawaii. At this point I was totally deluded to what that really meant but I knew it would get me out of bed every morning and give me a challenge that excited me like nothing before. At this point my swimming experience or ability was close to zero, my bike was fairly strong as I cycled with clubs and dabbled in some road racing and even though I didn’t run at this point I was sure that I could pick that up fairly quickly. How hard could it be…?

Five years down the line, I can safely answer that question with ‘bloody hard’! The level of performance needed to qualify for Kona now is outstanding. In my current Age Group (30-34), the top 4 finishers of an Ironman are given the privilege to race in Kona. So out of around 2,500 participants at these events, my Age Group will have approximately 250 athletes and only the top 4 walk away with the mystical Kona slot. I was lucky enough to get this 4^th slot at Ironman Wales 2018, which means I will be heading to Hawaii in October 2019 to toe the line with the very best athletes Ironman has to offer.

Having fine-tuned my training, thanks to coach Rachel Stoakes a typical week will be 6 days of training twice a day with one day of full rest or active recovery.

As I build towards a race the training can increase somewhat but a typical week looks like this:

Swim: 16km/4h. Mostly in a 25m pool but once the sun is out, one session a week will be in a lake.

Bike: 200km/9 hours. Usually broken down into 4 hours on the indoor turbo trainer and 4 or so hours on the road.

Run: 45km/3.5h. A mix of off-road trails, road and track sessions. Also ‘brick’ sessions (run straight after a bike session) start to feature as race day approaches.

Gym: 2h. Focusing on areas of weakness, injury prevention/rehab and specific strength work.

Sports Massage: 1h. Best hour of the week, by far!

The above may seem manageable (which of course it is) but what gets tough is the fact that consistency is really key. The above is what happens week after week, month after month and year after year. Balancing that with full-time work is an added challenge which most Age Groupers face.

I’m often asked what the secrets are to getting through the tough sessions. It’s really hard to answer as there are no secrets but here are a few tips that could help you.

For example, I have been set a few three-hour indoor turbo trainer sessions. So, it’s just me at home on a stationary bike staring at a wall thinking ‘how has my life come to this?’. But wait, it can be fun, honest!

Here are my tips to anyone thinking of doing a tough session whether it be a swim, bike, run or any physical activity to be honest:

• Understand why you are doing that specific session. Then you will never ask yourself ‘why’ or ‘what’s the point’ when your legs and lungs are screaming for you to stop. If you are not sure, then ask your coach, do some research or ask someone who knows. This is so important!
  
  
• Embrace the solitude and the pain. You will have at least 9 or so hours of this come Ironman race day. If you are always entertained or distracted you will have a real shock come the race. Don’t be scared of spending time with your own thoughts and get to understand what your mind needs to get through the tough times.
• Have objectives during the session. In my case all the sessions are based around power numbers (watts). Personally, I just stare at my little computer between my arms for hours on end trying my absolute best to hit the prescribed numbers set by coach Rachel. There are lots of training apps and programs (Zwift, Trainer Road etc) available now which can also help in setting and hitting objectives.
  
  
• Be well fuelled. During a 3h session I can easily get through 3 litres of water with electrolytes (Precision Hydration), 2x energy gels and if it gets bad an energy bar or two. Remember fuelling has to be right before and after the session too.
  
  
• Surround yourself with the right people. If those around you understand how important this challenge is to you, they will support you and even motivate you at times when the training seems to be never ending. Find others who are doing similar sessions and team up with them. Share the pain!

 In a nutshell, if you really believe the challenge you are doing is worthwhile and exciting, then why not commit 100% towards doing the best you can!? That shouldn’t only be on race day but in the months leading up to it too. Don’t be scared of the daunting task, be excited and remember how lucky we are to be healthy and physically able to challenge ourselves in this way.

Thanks for reading. Time for a turbo session…

Feel free to contact TLA if you have any questions or want help in achieving your goal.

Special thanks to: TLA for their amazing support!

Rachel Stoakes

Precision Hydration - www.precisionhydration.com

Bryony O’dowda – www.odowdasportsmassage.com

TLA Members take on Blenheim Triathlon - Race report by Adrian Pitts

It promised to be a great day for some swimming, cycling and running: the glorious sunny weather really brought out the colours in our TLA sponsored Cumnor Kites kit!

As Gemma Pitts, John Rogers and I entered transition before our midday wave time, we had to pause to allow some athletes in their T2 head out on the run: looking strong as he sprinted past, David Wigg was able to ‘high five’ us as we wished him luck for his last section of the race.

Wet-suited up, we headed down to the lake and shared a few tactical navigation tips: reading the wind patterns on the water we decided to start on the right and leave the others to do battle on the left. As it happens most people were ahead of me so it didn’t really matter! Before we knew it we were out of the lake and starting the long 500m climb back up to the courtyard for T1.

The downhill start to the 3 lap bike course is always exciting. The course was busy but dry allowing us to really build up some speed. Unfortunately, Bladon Bridge wasn’t ready for John; he chose to lovingly protect his bike whilst simultaneously acquiring a little bit of road rash on his first lap.

We’d been on the course for about an hour as we left our bikes in T2. The temperatures were picking up and the 5.6km hilly, 2 lap run certainly used the last of my available energy. Gemma finished looking strong and took 4 minutes off her previous time. As for me, I was a few minutes down on my PB, which will inevitably lead to me signing up for yet another ‘last Blenheim Triathlon’!

For a variety of reasons excuses, this season hasn’t seen too much triathlon specific training! It goes to show that the odd cycle or run to a TLA Bootcamp for an hour of press ups by numbers, squats, hill reps and (although I hate to admit it) even a burpee or two, must be doing us some good after all! See you there next year, maybe…

Benefits of Sports Massage by Pollyanna Fitzgerald

Member of the Month

Summer Family Bootcamp

Ladies & Gents,
Well, it's a chilly start to March! Some fantastic blustery winds coming in and the 'Beast from the East' is providing plenty of reasons to keep moving during TLA classes! Please do read the following as we have some changes/updates and NEW classes coming to TLA, read on........ + TLA SUP IS COMING BACK!
 

TLA Studio Timetable changes

March will see the changing around of a few TLA classes on the timetable. Firstly, TLA Kettlebells (Wednesday) will be finishing on 7th March. Monday Kettlebells continues as normal. We will be introducing a new class on Wednesday evenings at 18:15, see details below. Also from Wednesday 7th March, Sunningwell Bootcamp will be permanently outdoors, that's correct - head torches, good preparation and please be punctual at 19:15 otherwise you'll miss out.
 

NEW CLASS

starting Wednesday 14th March at 18:15 (45 minutes)

TRX & Spin Fusion Run in a HIIT style format TRX Spin Fusion will be aimed at those who wish to have a cardio/strength/high energy/fun and seriously effective workout in 45 minutes. This class will be aimed at beginners but can easily cater for intermediate standards also. The class is split into two with 50% working on TRX and 50% working on Spin, both with differing programmes and working for short, high intensity intervals. If you have not trained with TRX before then this is the perfect start for you!

Tuesday and Thursday Morning Bootcamps (Block Bookings)

Announcement - you can now use your TLA block booking card at these bootcamps. If you find yourself with a morning off and fancy a great outdoor workout - come along to Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre playing fields on a Tuesday morning at 9:30 or The TLA Studio (outside) on Thursdays at 9:30 (term time only). This applies for block booking cards only.
 

Pre-Event Massage

Getting ready for that all important event.......? Are you looking after your condition.......?

Marathons, Triathlons, 5k & 10k races, walk for life, swimming events are all fantastic events which, let's be honest, you train hard for and dedicate hours of commitment to. So much so that we often forget about actually looking after the other side of things such as, stretching, massage, mobility, recovery time. Well don't forget it! It should make up a huge part of your preparation. At TLA Fitness we offer these great services both at the TLA studio and at home. If you haven't already planned this into your schedule then now is the time.

Please book directly by emailing 'This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.' and click here to see the treatments Pollyanna provides both at home or at The TLA Studio.

TLA SUP is Back :)

Summer 2016 saw the formation of TLA SUP which was really well received. We ran multiple Ready2Ride certifications, SUP bootcamps, SUP Yoga and SUP Speed. With a very busy 2017 and lack of manpower, we were unable to do much on the water. The exciting news is that we now have a SUP team (Tom, Jim and Katia) who are all very excited to be bringing you a new SUP Club and itinerary in the coming weeks and months. This will include day trips and hopefully overnight SUP trips. TLA SUP is currently running on Facebook, please follow this link and join us ...... at a later date it will be built in to the TLA site.

Really looking forwards to seeing you all on the water.  
https://www.facebook.com/groups/997212400296977/

Let's look ahead!

Now that the beloved month of January is gone for another year, let's now look ahead towards the upcoming season of events! Yep...it's just around the corner and before you know it you'll be on the start line heading towards that personal best or taking part in that lifetime goal. Whatever it is you are aiming for, make sure you are prepared! 'It's better to be over prepared than under prepared!' Below are 7 quick pointers to get you thinking forwards. 

1. Establish a routine - make exercise a habit
2. Prevent injury through training
3. Improve work capacity (physical fitness conditioning)
4. Improve 'core strength'
5. Develop balanced muscular strength, speed, endurance and power
6. Develop sport specific speed, strength and power
7. Maximize potential

Please feel free to email TLA and let us know what your plans are for the upcoming season as we would love to hear about your goals, challenges, programs and upcoming events no matter how small or big they maybe! 

School Run Fitness offer
 

Live tracking of the Yukon Arctic Ultra

Many of you that regularly train with TLA Fitness will know that Tom is currently racing a pretty tough race up the river Yukon. 

Click here to follow TLA up the Yukon - LIVE TRACKING

Welcome into 2018, we hope you have all enjoyed a fantastic Christmas & New Year and are now raring to go into those new resolutions - targets & training programmes!!! As ever we at TLA are committed to keep you on track and supporting everyone that trains with us through all our TLA classes and training activities. We have an action packed timetable for the new year and are really excited to see everyone back into training. We are launching a NEW Beginners HIIT in Hinksey park on Tuesday evenings at 6:30pm.
 

All TLA Fitness classes are as per the TLA Timetable the 2 alterations are as follows:

Tuesday nights:

• NEW Beginners HIIT: 6:30-7:15pm - Hinksey Park, BOOK HERE
• Intermediate HIIT: 7:15-8:00pm - Hinksey Park, BOOK HERE

TLA's Pilates & Yoga classes will be starting back next week (w/c 8-1-18) as follows:

PILATES

• Advanced Pilates (Mondays): 09:00 - TLA Studio, BOOK HERE
• Pure Pilates (Beginners) (Mondays): 10:15 - Sunningwell Hall, BOOK HERE
• HIT Pilates (Thursdays): 18:30 - TLA Studio BOOK HERE
• Pilates Stretch (Fridays): 07:00 - TLA Studio BOOK HERE

YOGA

• Vinyasa Yoga (Wednesdays): 19:30-20:45 - TLA Studio, BOOK HERE
• Ashtanga Yoga (Fridays): 09:30-10:45 - TLA Studio, BOOK HERE

December, was as always a really good fun month with the added bonus of getting the TLA sledges out on December 10th. A fully committed team ran up to Boars Hill and made for a great winter TLA Bootcamp. The TLA Christmas Party was is full swing at The Bear in Cumnor with a full turn out. The TLA Fitness Team would also like to thank everyone very much indeed for our gifts which were Wiggle Vouchers and as always very greatly received.


Have a very successful 2018 from all the TLA team!

Into the Wild with TLA in the Pyrenees!

Adventure into the wild with TLA this coming May....

During the formation of TLA Fitness, it's been clear that one of the areas that is enjoyed most by our clients is that of training with like minded people outdoors! Getting outdoors, being active and really engaging with the surroundings is something we all love to do! So... I have decided to gather interest on who would be up for a 4 day, 3 night (Fri-Mon) Adventure Hike into the wild to spend an amazing night camping under the stars in the beautiful Pyrenees in the south of France, based at the picturesque Chateau de Gere! There will of course be challenge, team camaraderie, adventure, great food, excellent instruction and time to switch off in the wild and discover new skills.

Who is this suitable for? If you are interested in the above and below and it grabs your attention then it's most likely for you. Being a firm believer in setting a goal or having a target then this offers exactly that. Living on what you carry on your back and being in and among one of the most scenic mountain ranges, being at the forefront of nature, exploring and giving yourself that all important head space, meeting others and striking new relationships is part of the fun and excitement that this trip will bring to you.



The weekend itinerary:

Friday: Afternoon arrival at Lourdes airport - Transit to Chateau de Gere - Evening meal + Kit issue & Kit preparation

Saturday: Breakfast at Chateau - Kit inspection - Transit to start point, Lac de Bious Artigues - Hike - Set up camp at Lac de Peyreget - Camp routine/Dinner/Bushcraft 

Sunday: Breakfast at camp-site - Strike camp - Circuit of Pic de Midi d'Ossau - Arrive back at transport (Lac de Bious-Artigues) rtn to Chateau de Gere - Free time(swim, massage, relax) - Dinner-BBQ at chateau

Monday: Breakfast served at chateau - Team Games - Trip to local town for coffee/crepes/souvenirs - Transport leaves for Lourdes airport

Cost would be £499 per person (all inclusive) + flights (not included).Additional activities can be arranged during the hike also at a small additional cost Abseiling, Rock Climbing, Tyrolean Traverse, Survival Training.

The dates in which I am looking to explore are: either 11th-14th May OR 25th-28th May (BH weekend), please do email your preferred dates.

If you would genuinely be interested please email Tom on 'This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.' and I will keep you posted.

Did you know on average we spend 150 minutes EACH DAY with our heads down on our phones in some way, shape or form, so wouldn't 30 minutes of quality exercises be far better.......? The answer, ABSOLUTELY! Read on....

BOX & BELL in just 30minutes - Drop in PT offer

The perfect solution once you've finished your shopping, or dropped the kids off at school, or even fitting it into your lunch break!

During November & December, TLA's very own Tony will be offering 30 minute 1:1 Boxing or Kettlebell sessions for only £20 per session. These can be arranged directly by messaging Tony on 07484 874561 or emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You will need to give a bit of notice so we do ask for at least 2-3 hours notice and Tony will get back to you. This is only valid on Mondays & Tuesdays. 

'Click here to share this with a friend or why not get a small group together?'


 

Training hard....? Now recover with a Massage :)

Fact, we do not look after our bodies enough...! We run/bike/walk/play sports/attend classes/work very busy weeks but when do we really give ourselves that recovery/rest/break/relaxation time...?

This is now on your TLA doorstep...you can now finally have a relaxing massage to end or start your week. The TLA Fitness Studio has now a specially designed sports therapy and massage area which is fully equipped to treat/fix/relax/tape and relieve your muscles. Pollyanna is TLA's resident Sports Therapist and Masseur. Bringing a world of knowledge and experience along with her. Pollyanna has treated many TLA clients so far and has received first class feedback. 
 
Bookings are available by emailing directly to 'This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.' or text/call 07988 899427.

TLA Membership offer: All treatments booked before 20th November 2017 will receive a 10% discount off your first massage or treatment.

Enjoy!

Introducing Jim Thorn

Jim is the most recent TLA instructor and brings a world of knowledge and experience to the TLA team. A through and through explorer. Jim is a former Royal Marine, having served across the globe in various roles.

He has a BSc degree in Sports Science 1990-1994 and has completed Rowing Instructors courses, Royal Marines Military Ski and PTI courses to name just a few. Jim has a highly sought-after skill set which is often hard to come by!

Read more...

Sunningwell Traffic Warning:

Please note the centre of Sunningwell is due for some major roadworks over the next few weeks - along Sunningwell Road, from Dark Lane right along to the The flowing Well will be access only for residents during that time. So access to The TLA Studio will not be possible from the Wootton Road / Long Furlong direction. Please plan a few minutes extra when heading to The TLA Studio.
 

Stay tuned for next weeks newsletter

Into the Wild with TLA in the Pyrenees!

'8 overnight hours of mud and obstacles so tough, so extreme, you'll be trying to remind yourself why you signed up in the first place. Toughest Mudder is the overnight obstacle course designed to push you to your limits. 

We're taking all the mind-numbing terrain, icy water and thick mud that Belvoir Castle has to offer and jamming it into the most intense 5-miles you will come across in 2017. Don't worry about being out there in the early hours of the morning, just concentrate on navigating through a course intent on separating the tough from the toughest' -

'That seems like a good idea, shall we do it? - yeah, why not!' - these were the words we were wondering if we were going to regret when my friend and I signed up for Europe's Toughest Mudder - a new race in the Tough Mudder series, starting at midnight, ending at 8am the following morning - you have 8 hours go go round the 5 mile course as many times as you can. Sounded like great fun!

The format is simple, you have a 5 mile course with around 20 obstacles that get opened up through the night, you can come back into the 'pit area' at the end of each lap to refuel, rest, change or whatever you need before heading out again. Rinse and repeat through the night.

I have done obstacle races in the past, in the depths of Winter, so thought that this couldn't be too bad. We researched kit, training, nutrition and came into the race feeling pretty prepared and with a goal distance in mind. Training had gone well, weights, bodyweight, high intensity circuits, sprints, running and a ton of pull ups - lots and lots of pull ups!

Carbo loading started 3 days out with a nutrition plan provided by Helen Money Nutrition and this stood us in good stead throughout the whole race - never once did we feel energy levels dropping or the dreaded 'wall'.

Initially I had been quite worried about the whole starting at midnight and being up all night thing, as I don't do very well being tired, but the atmosphere was more than enough to keep us wide awake. The start was very exciting, around 700 competitors, head torches and strobes shining all waiting for the off, but not before the rousing pre-race talk which got everyone going. Midnight on the dot and we all head off on the first 'sprint lap' - minimal obstacles open apart from the ditches, and mud pits - this is designed to thin the field out and spread everyone out - this worked brilliantly, because throughout the whole race, we didn't queue once.

The obstacles range from the mad (plunging into a container full of icy water - topped up regularly with ice cubes) - this is fun for the third time at 3 in the morning!! - to the ridiculous - trying to feed a metal pole through a hole to collect a band without touching the sides otherwise you receive a hefty jolt of electricity (this happened to me more than once!!!).

A lot of climbing over things and up things, this is where the pull ups came into their own, not once did my upper body strength fail me. Only one obstacle got the better of me and that was one where you have to jump out into space (around 4 metres up) - grab a trapeze type of handle, swing out over the water to grab a rope and shimmy down - I have to admit I am very scared of heights and couldn't make the jump! - I had to scramble down into the water and swim across, then run the obligatory penalty lap carrying a sandbag - definitely something I need to work on!

Our only low point was on our 3rd lap, around 3-5 in the morning, muscles started to seize up and cramp, we had to walk and then got cold - but after a bit of time in the pit area, clean dry clothes and a good stretch, we went out on our fourth and last lap and had a flyer - finishing on a real high.

We managed 20 miles but had hoped for 25. The thing that let us down was a lack of long runs - something we will make sure doesn't happen next time - yes, that is right, next time - we are already signed up :-).

It was an amazing event - running through the night, in the dark and then the dawn arriving was incredible - strangely the time actually flew by and I can't wait for next year.

We hope you have all had a great Bank Holiday weekend.

This is a short newsletter to say that all TLA's summer classes & courses are back in full swing so please check out our TLA Timetable for all the information.

Also some Exciting news for the Summer Strength course: TLA's popular Saturday morning strength classes will be starting again on Saturday 13th May at 09:15

We are going to be taking a new direction with this next 8 week block moving to more strongman style training.  This will include some super fun strength training such as tyre flips, sled drags and farmers walks and incorporating various lifting techniques amongst other things. TLA has the best facility for allowing the indoor/outdoor training style with it's excellent Studio space as well as it's own 7 acre woodland to play with for much of the training.

A few spaces have become available for this next 8 week strength block, so if you are interested in improving your strength, coordination, power and speed, please get in touch with Heather to book on, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Classes will be around 45mins - 1 hour long, and start at 9:15am each week at the TLA Studio.  The block is £85 for 8 weeks and is suitable for all abilities. The Strength courses run throughout the year and we do offer a cheaper membership option if you wanted to joined on a regular basis. 

If you want to try something a bit different, and mix up your training, get in touch. See you Saturday 13th May.