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Both last wk and this wk have been pretty straight forward really, I'm adapting more and more to the new training phase everyday so I'm happy with that.
Had a hard track session yesterday so pretty much just chilled in the afternoon, I did pop in to starbucks in the Trafford Centre for a mocha which went down a treat!! I met up with LP as his mum had brought up my spare frame which has been sprayed a silvery grey kinda colour. In the process today to build that up as then I can ride it before I go to Phoenix next Wednesday. Looking forward to getting out there, not really thought too much about the race itself though but will be nice to get a race in before the world cup series starts later next mth.

Updates should be pretty regular when I'm in the US so check back every couple of days or so

Marcus

To finish off from the 'come done with me' theme, G put together the best scoring dish for the 2wks we were there, Mexican prawn borritos. As much as I'd have loved getting him to hook me up with a starbucks, I scored him an 8.5, in hindsight I should've gone higher as it was better than LP's dish, but, when LP and Luke cast there scores, G was already 1pt in front so didn't make a difference if i'd scored higher.

We flew back to Liverpool on Friday evening then headed for the cars at the velodrome. I shot straight home to unpack then headed down to Bristol for a couple of days as I'd missed my dads bday whilst in france so thought I'd better pop home to see the family.

Since being back in Manchester, trainings been going pretty well. The track at plattfields is in decent shape so it's riding well at the minute. Team GB are racing there this wkend for a local regional event so that'll be good fun. Early season race legs don't come easy at 29 I can tell you!!!

Marcus

To follow on from the last update. Luke decided to do a chicken dish but he came down with the same bug that i had so couldn't cook that evening. Myself, LP and Coach G clubbed to together and knocked up a mean chicken and pasta dish.....pretty sure it would've tasted differently had Luke cooked it!!

Last night was my turn to take on the kitchen. My dish of choice was Chorizo with onions, peppers, chopped toms, chick peas, haricot and kidney beans with rice. Scored 24.75 out of 30 so not enough to claim top spot but at least i'm not buying the starbucks!! Luke only scored me 7.5 but i'm putting his lack of judgement down to the fact he's been ill and his tastebuds aren't quite right!!!

On tuesday we went for our last session at Montelimar of this trip, was a real relaxed session in the way that there wasn't really a structure. So after working on some faster stuff on various straights, G thought it'd be good to play a game of P.I.G on the last straight. Trying to think of different lines was hard at first but after 1-2 runs you kinda start seeing silly stuff and just hope the others can't/won't do it. Turned out LP was the dark horse as he took the win with Myself in 2nd and Luke 3rd. 1st game of PIG i've lost..........gutted!

Yesterday was our last Gym session of the trip and then we did sprints. Super windy conditions, massive downhill slope = Fun times and crazy legs.
We were due to go to Pierrlatte for a session this morning but the wind was nuts, something like 50-60mph!!! So instead we found a relatively sheltered road and just did sprints instead.

We're leaving tomorrow morning so we're all kinda just slowing packing all our gear and getting ready for G's mexican feast tonight!! Good times!!

Marcus

Went to the French Training Centre again today, the track was in good condition considering the weather yesterday wasn't the best. We had a real good session there with a mix of some gates and some track work. Never though, has my bike been any dirtier than after that session, to make matters worse the pressure washer at our local supermarket was broken.

We had a light session planned at a local track in the afternoon so had to go there with filthy bikes and kit because we had no time to get fresh gear from the HQ!! Turned up looking like a bunch of mud wrestlers but the track was pretty fun and we just kinda messed around trying some stuff for an hr or so.

Got back to the house and whilst we cleaned our bikes, LP cooked up a storm in the kitchen for his 2nd dish of the 'Come Dine With Me' BC champs. The Dish....Prawn Tagliatelle. Without a doubt best meal this week and he scored 25.75 out of 30. Up tomorrow night is Luke, and as of 10pm tonight he still has no clue what he's cooking....doesn't look good!! But on a lighter note, i've already gave him my starbucks order.

Toadys pics are from Pascal from Montelimar from a session we did last wk.

Marcus

Not much gone on since the last post but i've finally shrugged off the sickness bug so i'm looking forward to having a real good 2nd week over here in France.

We went to Montelimar yesterday for a session, the track held up pretty good to the previous days rain and rode ok.
We've got a day off today, so just gonna hanging around the HQ, watching TV (in french though!!) going online and if the Rugby's on later then we'll be watching that. We managed to watch most of the England v Wales game yesterday so that worked out well.

We're going back to the French Training Centre tomorrow, so i'll update after that

Marcus

I've still been struggling with this dam sickness bug since Tuesday. I thought on Wednesday i'd gotten over it but it's still seeming to be there, which a real annoying as, although i can train, it's taking longer to recover between sessions. Not what you need when your on a training camp.

We were due to ride Montelimar today but the first straight was pretty much covered with water after our first bit of real bad weather, so we kinda changed our training slightly but all worked out in the end.

We hit up the French Taining Centre yesterday for a couple of hrs or so. Was one of the most challenging tracks we've been to for a long time. Some of it doesn't really cross over to racing all that much but for bike skill, it's pretty good. The added benefit of them having a pro gate there was a big plus as the others we've been on this week have been super super quick.
Alot of the french guys and girls were there and they all had the track dialled pretty well but we didn't take long to step up to the plate. All in all it was a real fun session and we've been invited back next week by Fabrice (FFC National Coach) to ride there again which should be good.
Myself, LP and Luke have got some lines we wanna try out so we're looking forward to getting back there.

We've been to a local gym in Montelimar a couple of times and they are so different to ones in the UK it's untrue. They've got so much equipment in there you can hardly breathe but i must say that the owner (who we met last yr) is a real nice guy and would do anything to accomadate us.

We've been having our own little 'Come Dine With Me' thing going on this week which has seen some impressive dishes being pulled out of nowhere!!! Shanaze is 1st with 33pts, I'm 2nd with 32, LP's 3rd with 31.175 and Luke's 4th with 30pts. With only Coach G to go in wk one's challange, it'll be interesting what he pulls out the bag to beat Shin!!!! The loser arcoss the two wk total's is set to buy a round of Starbucks for everyone else...........Mine's a Grande White Choc Mocha!!!!

Marcus

Arrived in the South of France on Sunday evening, flight went fairly quick and the drive to our HQ wasn't so bad.

We hit up Montelimar on monday morning and although it's not been changed at all it still rode fast. But, they had changed the gate system, and i'm pretty sure i've not ever been on a faster one. I'm sure the beep came on before the voice cadence had finished on a few gates!!!

Yesterday we went across to Pernes le Fontaines, again, not been changed but still rode well. In the afternoon i came down with a sickness bug so was laid up all night last night and todays training has been minimal.

Not much else to say right now but we go to the French Training track tomorrow so we're all looking forward to that.

Marcus