Been struggling recently with a few little niggling injuries but i've managed to keep into the majority of my training with the help of the physio's at the English Institute. Getting injuries is never a good thing!!!

I'm pretty much set for Christmas, a few things still to get before i head to Bristol to spend it with family. I'm only there for 3days or so as then i'm spending NewYrs with Kate and some friends back in Manchester which will be nice. Last time they came up we all ended up going 10pin bowling and Kate got beat by a then 4yr old kid!!!!!!

Trying to tie up a few sponsor's for next season at the minute, so within the next few wk's things could be looking up. I've signed with UltimateProBmx which consists of Myself, LP and Tre Whyte. The team wagon's should be pretty slick with sofa's, games consoles and big TV's!!!

Pic is courtesy of Ms Charlie Phillips

Hope everyone has a good christmas and new yr

Marcus

Not much to update on right now. I'm back into a 4-5wk block of training which'll take me into the new year. Still working on getting stronger but also looking at others things to help with that.

Myself, LP and a few others went to watch Man City Vs Chelsea yesterday, was a pretty good game and the fact we didn't have to pay anything for the tickets made it even better!!! Didn't overly mind who won but i guess Man City winning means the league's a bit closer now, so probvs the best result. Popped into Manchester after the game with LP and his buddy Lewis, proper chilled night and some good laugh's also.

Spent about an hour today trying to claim AirMiles through BA, because i've only just signed up i can only claim for flight's within the last 3mths, meaning i can't claim for the Worlds in Austrailia or the SX in South Africa.......bad times!!!!!

Marcus

Arrived into Heathrow around 8ish this morning, the flight back kinda dragged on but wasn't too bad. We had the bulk head seats so we all a little extra leg room which was nice.

I'm straight back into training in the morning, so no time off now until christmas. I'm looking forward to this section of training as before i went to the Grands i was making some good gains so hopefully that'll continue.

I'm not sure who took the attached picture but it's pretty cool so i thought i'd post it up. It's from the SX race in October in Frejus, France.

Marcus

Yesterday's 3rd moto wasn't all that great, was feeling good but just didn't the result i needed to transfer. Was pretty bummed as i wanted to make it into the main again, but 1 out of 2's not so bad i guess.
We stayed at the track all day to watch the rest of the racing, everyclass has a novice, intermediate and expert! Takes sooo long to get through them all it's no wonder the atmosphere's fairly tame. I don't get why they wouldn't have the 3rd AA main as the showpiece last main. They ran it with about 40mains to go so after watching that it kinda fizzles out.

Last night we went out for a few drinks, word on the street was that JoeyB was doing sprints at 11pm and was getting in an ice bath straight after so wouldn't be making an apperence. Was a quiet night compared to the Worlds but fun all the same.
It was also good to chat to people i've never really spoken all that much in the past.
Met some new people, had a laugh.......good times!

Just sitting in the hotel ready to leave for the airport in a bit. We fly into Dallas, a 3hr lay over, then onto Heathrow to arrive early tomorrow morning.

Marcus

Another long day has seen us just get back to the hotel. We got to the track at 7.10am this morning and it's now 4.45pm! And we've only rode 2moto's. The system they run isn't the best if i'm honest.

Anyway, moto1 was stacked. Myself, Day, Stein, Cisar, Willoughby, Strombergs and Mike Hughes. I got 6th but actually had a fairly good lap so wasn't all that bummed.
Moto2 was Myself, LP, Caluag, Tyler Brown and 2 others. Was in 6 and got out ok, TB and LP were in 7 and 8. Caluag had the lead into turn 1 and i slipped up inside Brown, who was just inside LP. I stayed 2nd till the line.

Points are pretty tight between all but a few elites going into tomorrow's 3rd moto so it's gonna be interesting how it all works out.

Marcus

So, i'm back at the hotel after tonights racing. Super long day overall, so feeling tired right now.

The semi was stacked and i had gate 8. I actually felt i got out fairly good but was half a bike off the pace at the jump! swooped to 5th or 6th in turn 1 only to shank the double coming out of it. Went back to 7th and was just hoping that someone would make a mistake as making ground up on these guys is tough! With that, some riders got balled up in the last turn and i managed to avoid the carnage and fluke it through to the main. It's not the ideal way to make it to any main but i'll take it.

Same in the main, got out ok but with KY in 8 and me in 7 it was gonna be hard to keep him out. He got a better pop and came across so i just made sure i put myself in the best position for turn 1. Went into 5th but Mikey passed me down the next straight. I stayed in 6th and had a pretty solid lap.

Off to sleep now to get ready for 2 moto's tomorrow, i'll update after that.

Also, props to Tre and Curtis. Tre for making the mains in both class and open and to Curtis for starting to ride like he trains.

Marcus

Myself and LP have just got back to the hotel after racing the moto's for the ProSpectactular. I passed through into the semi's from the moto's with 11pts with a 3rd in the last moto, LP went out on 11pts with a 4th in the last moto.
The semi's aren't for another 6-7hrs or so, so we're heading to subway ina bit to grab lunch, then still gonna have time for dinner before i race the semi's and the main later.

I'll update after the racing, but it's not expected to finish before midnight so we're in for a late one.

Marcus

It's now around 3pm and we're just grabbing some lunch after going down to check out the track.

It's looks pretty good, still some rolling to do but the set set up looks nuts, team trucks everywhere, and i'm not just talking little ones either.
The building the track is in is at least 3, if not 4 times as big as Zwolle indoor.

The flight over to Chicago was good, was fairly enpty so we all managed to spread out a bit. The flight from there to Tulsa was so hot, Curtis ended up sat in his boxers!

Practice is tomorrow so i'll update after that

Marcus

Been getting some real good training in the last few days but the weather has been absolutely terrible up in Manchester. Sprints yesterday were a complete wash out but we all stayed out in it until we got them all done. Something strangley rewarding about training in shitty weather like that. Pretty sure i was dryer in the shower than when i was sprinting!!

Did a session over at Plattfields track this afternoon with LP, Dan Atherton, Shanaze and Abi Taylor. They've changed the track a little bit and i think that when it all goes hard it'll be pretty good. I was sceptical on the changes they had planned but i stand corrected and i'm sure it'll work quite well.

Just in the process all getting all my gear sorted for the Grands, we don't fly until Tuesday but i'm heading back to Bristol for a couple of days first to spend some time with Kate and my family. But, before i go home there's a small matter of hitting up YoSushi! for lunch with LP tomorrow, there's no better way of blowing 25quid!!

I'll update again ina few days

Marcus

Been slacking on the update's recently, love to give an excuse but there isn't one :)

Trainings going pretty good at the moment, feel comfy on my bike and my gym work's progressing. Off to crewe for a session tomorrow with LP and Dan Atherton which should be fun. Dan's been doing some sessions with us recently both in the gym and at the track, you can tell he's getting more comfortable with the bike cause he throw's it around pretty good.

Been working on some sponsor stuff for next year, Sinz USA are gonna be supplying me with all my chainrings and freewheels, i'm also goona be trying out the carbon and alloy forks too. Picking it all up at the grands in a couple of weeks so looking forward to that.

Dave over at FastlaneBMXmag has asked me to do a write up on the SX race in Chula Vista, never really done anything like that before so look out for that in the next issue.

Thats it for now

Marcus

Back to the grind (again!)

Got back from Edinburgh a few days ago, had a real good time up there. Weather was pretty crap but didn't really effect what we were doing so much.

Since we got back i spent a couple of days in Bristol as some friends of mine had a Halloween fancy dress party which was pretty fun.

Other than that i've been back into training and still getting used to lifting heavy weights again. I do enjoy this time of year though as it's all gonna help for next year.

Check back in a few days

Marcus

Back into the grind!!

I've been back in Manchester for a week or so now, continuing on the winter training. I'm off to Edinburgh for 4days next week with Kate as i've got the week off!! (first one for ages!)

Training's been going as well as i could expect right now, haven't lifed any heavy weights since early March so it's taken some getting used to. The soreness in the mornings is something i've not missed all that much!!

Got an early start tomorrow, 8am track session! as BC have got Talent Team and ODP trials at the track so i wanted to get my stuff done and out the way before they kick off at 10am. Should be good to watch for an hour or so as the UK's got some handy youngsters coming through right now.

I'll update again after i get back from Edinburgh

Marcus

Home after Frejus

I got back from Frejus on Sunday afternoon and headed straight back down to Bristol for a week at home training before heading back up to Manchester for the start of winter training.

Frejus was pretty dissapointing if i'm honest, i over jumped everything on the track in timetrial no.1 so has to go again. The wind changed again by this time and it started to rain a little also so i just wanted to be safe and get round in a fairly decent time to make sure i qualified. Lap was good and finish 2nd in that run, so 34th overall.

Moto was tough, Wildenberg, Bisseling, Joey B, Falla, Castro but rode pretty strong and finished 1st 1st 2nd so was feeling pretty good at that point. Not sure what happened on the gate in the quarter but i clipped the gate (same as Chula!!!) and put me dead last, charged the first straight and was going into 3rd into turn 1 and just slid out, taking out Tremanis and Falla. I've looked and looked at the video of it and not really sure what happened on the gate, it certainly wasn't nerves as mentally going into the race i was fully prepared and ready to go. I've spoke alot to Grant about it and there's some things we want to look at to make sure it doesn't happen again.

So i came away pretty bummed after the race as i felt good enough in the moto's to get into the main but i guess these things happen and hopefully i'll learn a bit more from it and take it into my next race, which is the ABA Grands in the U.S in Nov. I'm heading out there with Liam and i'm exicted to be going the Grands for the first time. Should be good!!

I'll update again in a few days or so

Marcus

Home from Aigle, off to Frejus

Been back home from the UCI centre in Aigle for a couple of days, pretty much just had my feet up for 2days recovering from the session we did out there. Got in loads of track time and worked on some stuff which will hopefully help in Frejus on the wkend.

Was real busy at the Centre, loads of riders there from Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Holland. Was good to be on the gate with more than 1 or 2 at a time.

Off to Frejus for the last stop on the SX tour tomorrow morning, really looking forward to getting over there. The tracks normally pretty good down there as it flows really well.

I'll try and update when i'm there but not sure if the house we're in has tinternet.

Check back

Marcus

Switzerland

Off to Switzerland in a couple of hours or so with the GB team, minus LP who bust his wrist in Chula, proper gutted for him as he's not had the best time of it in terms of injuries over the past 2 seasons so hopefully it'll heal up soon enough.

Looking forward to the trip as we were there before Chula for 3-4days and got alot out of it so hopefully it'll be the same again this time. Think the Danish and German teams will be there also so that'll be cool, as the more on the gate in practice the better!!

I'll try and update when i'm over there

Marcus

Home & Home

Been back in bristol since monday just catching up with family and spending time with Kate before i head back to Manchester later today. Slipped straight back into normal sleeping patterns since getting back from Chula but as the week's gone on i've just got more and more tired. I've done a couple of training session's at the tail end of the week but felt pretty flat during them.

Next weekend we go to the UCI Centre in Switzerland for 3-4days to use the track there, then we come back for 3days or so then straight off to the SX race in Frejus, France. I'm looking forward to that as i've been there twice now and is always a good race to go to.

check back soon

Marcus

TimeTrial, RaceDay and Travel Home

A bit delayed in updating since the race as the internet connection at the hotel was pretty useless. I’m back home in Bristol right now catching up with family until the wkend then it’s back to Manchester to get ready for the next SX race in Frejus, France in 3wks or so.

Time Trial’s didn’t exactly go as I’d planned, felt really good going into the TT but I clipped out on my 4th crank and had to pull up to get over the 1st jump, when I landed my bars came back an inch or so and my grip moved round! Other than that, the rest of the lap wasn’t too bad but I missed the 1st cut so had to go again. I smashed the gate on my 2nd run but still managed to carry enough speed down the hill to stay quickish on the 1st straight. Just wanted to get round the lap without any mistakes and staying kinda smooth, didn’t really mind where I finished at that point, I just wanted to make the cut then come back fresh for the next day.

Felt good going into the races, but was lucky to make it through the moto's(8th's) as i tagged the step out of turn 1 and came unclipped so finished 7th. 3rd moto i finished 5th but was just enough to see me through to the quarter's.

In the quarter i clipped elbow's with denzel over the crest but was lucky enough to keep my speed for the first straight, went round turn 1 in 5th and tracked there until coming out of the 2nd turn. I got the 3rd straight the best i'd got it all wkend and went into 3rd into the last turn and stayed there till the line.

I had my best gate of the wkend in the semi and was level with Sam W down the 1st straight, rest of the lap was pretty solid and was stoked to cross the line in 3rd for my first SX main.

Felt relaxed going into the main, but tagged the gate on the way down putting me pretty much out of the race at the get go. Rest of the lap i was just chaseing as hard as i could but just couldn't make any proper ground up on anyone. Crossed the line in 8th.

Gotta say that without doubt, it was the best race i've been too in a long time.

Roll on Frejus!

Marcus

First practice session

Practice went pretty good this morning, we had an hr and a half in total so more than enough time to dial the track in. The gate was dropping slow at the start of practice but after a few people complained, they put it at the proper speed for the last half hr.

I got the 2nd and 3rd straight's covered fairly quickly and felt good through both, though i've gotta do some more work on them before the timetrials tomorrow evening. We get another bunch of practice before we start the TT so happy that i'll get everything done.

After practice we headed to whats now our local lunch spot 'Rubio's Mexican Grill', gotta love a chicken, bacon and avocado taco! 3 days on the bounce so far! Back in the hotel right now just sitting around for a while before dinner, think Applebees is on the cards, i've been promised big things from this place so looking forward to that.

I'll update again after TT's tomorrow evening.

Marcus

Chula Vista SX

Good flight over to LA and a cool drive down to Chula Vista, pretty much stayed along the coast road for the majority of the journey so some good sight seeing was done. Stopped off for a beauty of a Subway along the way cause we were all starving after the flight!!

Went out for a ride this morning and came across this Audio shop on the side of the road with 3 of the best cars i've ever seen. One was a black Hummer with 30"rims!!! They came up to LP's waist !!! Managed to get some pics but might have to load them up on here when i get home next wk, unless i can find a way of getting them off the camera without a lead.

We're staying around 7-8miles from the track, so popped down there before going for lunch today. The track looks amazing right now, presented really well and looks super smooth also, so racing should be pretty quick. Again, got loads of pics but may have to wait till next wk for them.

I'll update again after practice on thursday hopefully

Cheers
Marcus

First Update !

OK , so this my first ever blog update !

I've been meaning to sort out either a blog or a website for so long I've given Liam P constant headaches! But today i decided to just bite the bullet and sort it out once and for all . Now all i need is people to actually read it :-)

I'm off to Chula Vista, San Diego on Monday morning for the SX WorldCup next weekend, I'm real excited to be going as all the footage I've seen of the track looks super good. I'll try and add some photo's when i'm out there .

My training's been going well recently, been working on some stuff since the race last month in South Africa so hopefully i can put some things into practice over in Chula .

Keep ya posted