I've never lacked motivation to write a weekly blog. For me, it provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on life, not just on the sport of mountain biking, but on many other facets of our being. Life is a gift, and a gift that should be nurtured and treasured and never, ever taken lightly. I recently tweeted on how we often take life for granted and how we sometimes need to step back from the 'rat race' and 'smell the roses'. All too often, we accept our capabilities but never appreciate them until they are taken away - either long-term by diminishing health, or short-term by injury or sickness. So writing is not the problem - finding a suitable subject to write about, on the other hand, presents more of a challenge. I want my blog to appeal to a wide and more diverse audience than just bike riders - today, my inspiration was to be found all around me!

Whilst walking around my beautiful beach suburb of Manly on a splendid sunny and warm winters day, I suddenly became aware of the size and weight of the people passing by. Either they were overweight or, in some cases, morbidly obese. Several people passed and my visual awareness was aroused. Only when the 14th person walked by, did I see a person of healthy weight. I had once experienced this same feeling the day before a mountain bike race, while I was shopping in the town of Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The supermarket was packed with grossly overweight customers and check-out staff. However, this was in a less affluent area. Today, I was in Manly, which is more middle-class, more educated and more body conscious. Needless to say, it is the electorate of Tony Abbot, Liberal MP and, for better or worse, possibly our future Prime Minister. Had our society lost sight of what constitutes good health and has it become culturally acceptable to be overweight?

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes being overweight and obese 'as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.' The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a rough measure of weight whereby a person’s weight (in kilograms) is divided by the square of height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more, is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight.The WHO (2013) reports that globally, 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese, and an estimated 35.8 million suffer from life-threatening chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular diseases                                                                                                 and cancer.

Countries with the Highest Obesity Rates


                                  Obese population aged 15 and over (OECD Countries)
                                  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member states

1.  United States                                                 30.6
2.  Mexico                                                           24.2
3.  United Kingdom                                              23.0
4.  Slovakia                                                         22.4
5.  Greece                                                           21.9
6.  Australia                                                        21.7
7.  New Zealand                                                   20.9
8.  Hungary                                                         18.8
9.  Luxembourg                                                   18.4
10.Czech Republic                                                14.8                                          (Aneki, 2013)

Although many people point to The United States as the most obese nation, Australia fares little better. The prevalence of obesity in Australia has more than doubled in the past 20 years.

• Fourteen million Australians are overweight, of which five million of those are obese.
• By 2025, it is predicted that close to 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese.
• Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia.
• Obesity has become the single biggest threat to public health in Australia.
• It is predicted that children today will have a shorter life expectancy than earlier generations simply because of obesity. (Monash University 2013)

A number of conclusions can be drawn from these facts. With a total population of 23 million, Australia therefore has a minority of nine million currently possessing a healthy weight. As a bike rider, my friends and I are now even more a minority group. Perhaps this is why many of my work collegues view me, and people like me, as 'obsessed', 'strange', 'crazy' or even 'a bit freaky'. Perhaps we are, because we are certainly no longer the norm. In fact, many of my work collegues take a train or bus to the city, but because the next part of the journey involves a 10-15 minute walk, albeit through beautiful and scenic Darling Harbour, many wait and then pay to be transported by light railway or bus to avoid walking! Other work colleagues take an escalator down one floor to catch a lift up to go up two floors in order to avoid walking up one flight of stairs. When questioned why, I was told that exercise is a ' dangerous strain on the heart'. Incidentally, I work alongside supposedly highly educated teachers and lecturers in a 'Health and Wellness College' providing an education for future graduates in the health industry! Many of our staff lecture on nutrition and healthy living yet they are overweight themselves. Isn't this like an atheist preaching a church sermon or a vegetarian working at an abattoir?

Secondly, being unhealthily overweight is seen as culturally acceptable in countries such as Australia. When I travelled to Liguria, Italy for the World 24 hour Solo Championship in May, 2012 I spent two weeks in the beautiful Italian town of Finale. Only when I travelled to tourist areas such as Cinque Terre did I realise how other cultures and countries differ. The visiting Americans, Australians and Brits were grossly overweight and obese and this was memorable because this excess of fat was not to be seen on the Italian residents in towns like Finale. Quite frankly, it was quite embarrassing. In reference to this cultural acceptance, I remember watching a scene from the excellent documentary 'Super Size Me' where a scenario was described involving a smoker, drinker and an overweight person. We would frown upon excessive smoking or drinking but we wouldn't question the obese person having extra dessert. Allowing a child to drink alcohol or smoke a cigarette in public is rebuked but when a parent allows a fat young child to stuff their face with cake, chocolate and coke there is no reaction or cause for concern. Clearly, the parent is setting the child up for a lifetime of ill-health and a shorter life expectancy and surely this constitutes a form of child abuse.

Human Beings are inherently lazy and it seems that they'll do whatever they can to avoid exercise. A catalogue of myths and excuses are clearly evident. Many claim that they just don't have enough time to fit in any exercise. But surely this is more to do with priorities rather than a lack of time. My wife often hassles me for not reading enough books. I enjoy reading but I admit this does sit low in my priorities, after work, training and other pleasures. But once I do start reading a book I enjoy, I will read it avidly and complete it in just a few weeks. Evidently, my priorities change to accommodate for a change in activity. Furthermore, I fit in as much as ten hours of my training load a week by commuting to work on a bike, time that would be wasted sitting on a bus or in a car on Sydney's congested road network. I'm not suggesting for a moment that this would suit everybody. But by building exercise into a daily routine, and this could be as simple as walking part of the way to work, not taking the car to the beach or park or using the stairs instead of the lift, then exercise becomes part of the daily routine. Indeed, now I don't even think of commuting as exercise but purely my mode of transport to get to work.

Another myth is the fat gene and the argument that some people are destined to be obese. It is true that people are born with a different somatotype or body shape. Most people are a combination of endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph while others may be more dominant in one. Nevertheless, an otherwise healthy individual can control their weight with the correct balance of exercise and diet. Obesity rates in Australia have doubled in the last 20 years and this is not because double the amount of people have been born with the fat gene. This is because of modern lifestyle choices. 

Others argue that healthy and nutritious food is too expensive and they have no choice but to buy junk food such as McDonalds, KFC and pizza. Looking at the food choices of an overweight middle-aged lady behind me in the supermarket queue today, she had several bottles of sugary drinks, multiple bags of crisps and snacks, frozen cakes and desserts, several processed meals and not one piece of fruit, or any vegetables. Some of her food items would cost more than the healthy alternatives. Furthermore, superfoods such as oats cost very little, as do healthy wholemeal foods such as rice, pasta and spaghetti.

Only last week one of my colleagues told me sport was simply bad for your health. She pointed to the fact that nearly everyone she knew who played sport had an injury. Indeed it is true that many sports people carry some kind of injury. Joint injuries such as those to the knee, elbows and shoulders are quite common. But surely these injuries are not as worrying as cancer or diseases which affect the cardiovascular system leading to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.

Modern society means children don't play outdoors anymore but sit at home surfing the net and not the waves, and playing tennis and football video games on the sofa and not on the sports ground. Parents don't let their children play outside because they feel it is too dangerous and drive the kids to school. It is no wonder, that there is a reluctance or even a resentment to exercise that has found it's way into the mindset of our future generations.

Many members of the public become irate when a rescue needs to be undertaken to save an adventure seeker who has fallen into strife in the mountains . As a climber and a mountain biker, I am often told that people like us are an unnecessary strain on taxpayers money and if we ever find ourselves in trouble we should be left to fend for ourselves. But what of the strain on the health system from poor health caused by being overweight and obese? Those who partake in exercise have stronger immune systems, have less days off work and will not need to utilise public health facilities as a result of poor life style choices.

I see very little hope for the future. I often teach the importance of nutrition and exercise to my students. With an honours degree in Sports Science, a Physical Education teaching qualification and a Personal Training Certificate I feel I have a reasonable amount of knowledge in this area. When people come for advice on how to lose weight, they are invariably interested in diet and what they should or shouldn't eat. They are far less inclined to listen to advice about exercise and most people simply ignore this. Aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, swimming and even walking are not 'doable' options for them, let alone the need for resistance training to build muscle and consequently raise the metabolic rate. Instead people go on crash or fad diets, or waste money on slimming pills or magic fat burning creams. This results in setting themselves up for future failure while simultaneously fuelling a multi-billion dollar diet industry. Even when they lose weight they later put it all back on, plus a little extra, as the body responds to the perceived food shortage by storing energy in the form of fat - this is the concept of 'Yo-Yo dieting'.

If this article has offended anybody I feel I am not required to apologise. Instead, I hope that once your initial anger has subsided you can take note and make the necessary changes to improve your life before it is too late. Obesity is a choice, as is a healthy body. Exercise does not need to be seen as an unnecessary evil. It can be enjoyed and cherished. At the very least, exercise can improve the quality of a person's life and increase longevity. It produces endorphins that create a feeling of contentment, increased positivity and leaves a person with a more positive body image. Why would you choose any other way?

Despite racing mountain bikes regularly for nearly four years and over a diverse variety of formats ranging from just over one hour to twenty four hours, I have never competed in events which unfold over multiple days. This is the realm of the stage racer - and after winning a free entry into the notoriously difficult Crocodile Trophy in just nine weeks time it left me pondering the questions 'What is a stage race and why is it such a popular format in cycling, but also what is the stage race equivalent in other sports such as football and rugby and, ultimately, why is it invariably the pinnacle of sporting performance.'

The most famous and popular annual sporting event in the world is the three week cycling spectacular 'The Tour de France'. This is the ultimate of stage races, watched by millions around the globe, fascinated by the twists and turns, the intrigue and the drama provided by 200 men pushing body and heart and soul to and beyond physical and mental limits. Despite the fact that the sport of road cycling has been blighted by cyclists pushing far beyond what is natural and utilising illegal drugs such as erythropoietin (EPO), steroids, testosterone, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and also blood doping, the Tour de France has retained its enormous appeal and the estimated audience this year was around 14 million unique visitors. Furthermore, the appeal of the stage race stretches to the ever growing popularity inherent in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, both gruelling 3 week stage events.

Other sports have the equivalent to a stage race and, in all cases, tournaments such as the football and rugby World Cups represent the ultimate form of competition. Unlike regular league fixtures, the tournament format involves playing several games in a short period of time. This places physical and mental pressures on the players, unique to this format. Squads are required to be rotated and injuries and energy levels managed. With recovery times much shorter than normal, nutrition and sleep are critical in the hope that on game day the players can perform to somewhere close to their maximum. Peak performance is probably unlikely. Indeed, it not always the best team which is crowned the champion but the team that has successfully negotiated the rigorous and testing weeks of competition without succumbing to an array of                                                                                          pitfalls such as peaking too early, injuries and fatigue.

The Crocodile Trophy is regarded by many as the longest and hardest MTB race in the world. Nine days, 15,300 metres of climbing over 855 km in energy sapping heat and humidity, with the world's longest ever time trial of 96 km thrown in this year for good measure. Attracting large numbers of riders from European cycling strongholds Belgium, The Netherlands and the Czech Republic, the event is packed with an array of gifted cyclists ensuring a high level of competition.

The qualities needed to succeed in a stage race differ markedly from those required in a one day event. A rider will require more fitness, stamina and mental strength. At the end of each stage, it will be important to begin the recovery process immediately, which will include replenishing depleted energy stores, stretching and preferably light massage before attempting to manage a decent night's sleep in the temporary tent accommodation. It will be important to reserve adequate strength and energy for the following days and not to peak too early. The winner will not necessarily be the best rider, but the one who is able to measure and control their daily efforts in a way that keeps them close to their best during each day of racing. Elite coach and co-creator of Cycling Peaks Software Hunter Allen supports this notion stating:

 The first thing you need to do after deciding that you are going to race in a longer stage race is to begin developing      multi-day ‘recoverability’, so that you’ll be able to produce similar wattages day after day all the way to the final stage.    We all fatigue, but those that recover quickly will ride stronger towards the end of a stage race.  The racers that start with  their ‘batteries’ 100% charged and then de-charge down to 80% by the end of the race, will do poorly compared to racers    that start at 100% charged and then only de-charge down to 90% by the end of the race.

Conserving energy during each individual stage can be assisted by incorporating a number of strategies. Cyclists during the Tour de France expend 9000 kcals per day and carbohydrate intake averages just 25g per hour, well below the recommended 30-60g for the intensity level of the exercise. In order to conserve energy the cyclist must maintain an even power output and although this is complicated by course conditions and the presence of other riders, there are great benefits from maintaining an even pace. As emotions can drain energy levels it is important for a rider to remain positive and relaxed in spite of overwhelming feelings of fatigue, frustration and fear.

Stage racing (and the tournament equivalents in other sports) therefore place physiological and psychological demands on the athletes which are vastly different to one day events. This is why the winners of the one day classic bike races are different to those who succeed in the Grand Tours. With the ability to provide exotic locations, amazing scenery, challenging and varied terrain and, ultimately, high drama, it is no wonder multi-stage events provide the public, the media and the athlete with events worthy to be classified as the pinnacle of sporting performance.

Fortunately, most of the pressure was lifted from me because I was clearly not the favourite. That honour was bestowed on good friend and training partner Pete Selkrig, who even featured in the event advertising. Returning from a successful foray in Austria at the Trans Alp stage race, Pete was looking exceptionally quick and formidably strong on the bike. I knew that he would set a lightning pace at the start and I would just have to sit in and attempt to hunt him down. I expected to be chasing for most, if not all, of the allotted twelve hours of competition. 

As we lined up to start, I eyed Pete close to the front and I pushed my way through the self-seeded riders to be perched right beside him. At least I was in touching distance, even if racing hadn't even begun. World Champion, Jason English spoke at the start, as is custom for such an esteemed rider, and one minute was called before the gun was to be fired. 'Eye of the Tiger' belted through the speakers, which was fitting, because just like Rocky, I felt like a massive underdog in this fight for glory. A surge of adrenaline was triggered and we exploded into the first corner and the short climb out of the event centre.

Just before we entered the first section of singletrack Pete rolled to a halt - a mechanical of sorts, I assumed, but the race was flashing by and there was no time to assess the situation. In front of me was the fast-starting Michael Crummy which suggested I was in a good place at the head of the field. Someone came to grief on a technical ascent and the race behind came to a temporary standstill. As a result, to close the gap on those ahead, more energy was expended. But I knew Pete would be back chasing as hard as ever to recover his initial placing. Sure enough, it was half way through the ten kilometre lap when he came streaking by and soon disappeared further up the track. As I had originally envisaged, I was chasing.

Going through the timing tent, I was told to straighten out my number plate which the girls were unable to read to record my completed lap time. This posed a problem because every second counts in these races and with so much at stake I didn't want to lose several minutes re-fitting the number. I tried to do it on the fly but this resulted in tearing the attachment hole. The plate flapped limply against my cables and was now impossible to read. I decided to call my number every time I went through transition and offered a smile and a few jocular words. I hoped this would be enough for them to remember me and I could return to the business of tracking my prey who was probably many minutes ahead. The strategy worked.

Four hours had elapsed, and as I lapped Female Master solo rider, Wendy Stevenson, she updated me on the situation ahead. It was incredible news. Pete was only a few minutes in front and he was not happy. I was filled with renewed vigour and I pedalled with increased enthusiasm. At transition, another friend and track spy Dave Langley (riding in a pair and not in direct competition with me, for once) thrust up three fingers and shouted excitedly that the gap was only three minutes and closing. More inspiration. I knew this could take time and so I increased the pace but not so much as to put me in difficulty later. I have learnt that patience is a virtue in these situations. As I hit an open paddock area I was greeted with the sight of a labouring Pete Selkrig. So soon but so welcome. This time I surged towards him and was soon on his wheel. A drink of liquid and then I waited for a passing opportunity and a chance to pounce. The track opened up and as I swept past him I attempted to keep the power down. Surely he would follow but he didn't. I didn't look back. On entering transition, I passed Garry James who was off the bike and looking worse for wear. Another major threat looked like his day was done.

Nothing is guaranteed in racing mountain bikes and I knew I was leading but, as I had learnt last week, complacency can really hurt you. A health issue like the one that had befallen Garry, cramping and mechanical issues which later transpired were Pete's problem, or a crash can change the whole landscape. There was over seven hours to go and I needed to stay focussed. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but think of my beloved wife in England, who I knew was thinking of me, and the hours of sacrifice I was making this year in the name of enduro racing. I became emotional and then I noticed my laboured breathing and snapped out of the trance. I re-gathered myself and continued to ride as strongly as I could.

As night began to fall, I was getting word from the transition area that I was leading the Crocodile Trophy competition. 'Crocodile Man, Crocodile Man' echoed in my ears. The hours previously, several songs had pulsed through my head, not least and on several occasions, one of my current favourites 'Radioactive Man' by the 'Imagine Dragons'. Perhaps like Spiderman, I had someone been affected by radiation from the disappearing sun and morphed into the aforementioned Crocodile Man. I amused myself with the notion and then prepared for the three and a half hours of night-riding. 

I recently acquired the new Exposure Reflex and Diablo and was amazed at the amount of light they produced. As Exposure claim 'I owned the night'. She was mine and so was the ticket. Racing through the pristine farm and bushland at night was made all the more pleasurable as each 10km loop ends riding through a pumping event centre complete with a resident DJ and large bonfire. This was enough to fuel the flickering fire that represented my remaining, somewhat depleted energy levels. I completed 220 kilometres and rolled to a halt where a posse of supporters surrounded me and offered congratulations. Pete was one of the first and he was extremely gracious in defeat, despite the obvious disappointment. Now the gruelling 9 day stage awaits me a mere week after the 24 hour World Solo's. This is definitely a race that I can now tick off the 'bucket list' and like it was with Rocky, it is a dream achieved against all the odds.

Competition in the Chocolate Foot STM Series resumed after a three month hiatus caused by inclement autumn weather conditions in the NSW region. The mild, sunny conditions of the past few weeks continued and were a welcoming sight for a massive field of 420 riders, including 92 solo riders across all categories. 

The Male Masters Solo Category included 42 riders and the list included some of the finest exponents of the discipline. Garry James, fresh from a successful foray in The Trans Alps stage race in Austria, was the clear favourite. Jason McAvoy (2nd in Round 1 at Taree) loomed as a major threat, while Dave Langley (4th in Round 1) had just completed two weeks hill training in the Pyrenees and was likely to carry good form into this race. Throw in Trent Moore, Paul Brodie and Richard Peil and a tough day was certainly in the offing.

As is the norm in most mountain bike races, the self-seeding at the start is often a farce but I managed to position myself close to the front and made a quick start through the fireroad thereby avoiding the bottle-neck into the singletrack. But on only the 2nd lap I heard a loud crack and I feared my race was already over. I slowed, checked down on the bike and somehow all seemed well and I carried on with no shortage of relief. 

Coondoo Road has very little climbing and is not at all technical but the singletrack rewards the rider with plenty of flow and enjoyable descending. The organisers had built a steep bridge which broke up the small amount of fireroad that was needed to link sections of the singletrack and certainly represented an interesting addition to the usual course. 

At the end of lap seven, I was in 4th position and as I came for a new bottle in transition I  pulled up alongside Trent Moore. As we left for the next lap, a battle for supremacy unfolded reminiscent of past battles, particularly in this very series two years ago when we finished first and second overall. I would pull away on some of the short climbs but then, after the descents, he would be on my back wheel once again. At the end of lap 8, I grasped the opportunity to sneak past a slower rider at the end of a short fireroad and ducked into the singletrack. Trent missed the opportunity and was held up long enough for me to put in a significant gap he would be unable to close. Enduro racing is not just about physical ability, but so much is fought out in the head; any mental advantage can be critical and opening a gap on a fellow competitor is a massive mental boost and conversely. This very fact was to be my downfall later in the race.  

For the first five hours I have to admit I was feeling really strong. On lap nine I had overtaken Jason McAvoy, who was having mechanical problems, and he was soon to withdraw from the race altogether. I crossed under the bridge as Dave Langley went over it. This represented at least 4 minutes lead and so I continued in my pursuit of Garry James who was a fair way up the track. I was feeling smug and pretty secure in 2nd place. However, it was at this point my body started to retaliate under the constant physiological stress I was placing it under. My rear tyre was low on pressure and had punctured and repaired itself in two different places. Furthermore, I had tinkered with my nutrition strategy and, as a consequence, I had not consumed enough 'Optimizer' energy drink. I switched from my protein and carbohydrate solution to flat coke in order to inject a caffeine and sugar hit which I had been told only a few days earlier was a trick triathletes often use in the final stretch of the run leg in order to come home with a 'wet sail'. It didn't work and I felt 'no lift' but just remember coating my teeth with acid and sugar. Suddenly Dave Langley appeared on my shoulder and chirped 'Just one lap to go', then literally cruised past. I immediately was held up by a slower rider and he was gone...along with my will and my second place.

Garry was to finish comfortably in first, with Dave and I making up the podium. Trent rolled in just over a minute behind. In the Open Male Solo, Ed McDonald continues to dominate, with only 3 teams able to muster more laps, while Eliza Kwan took out the Female Solo category clocking up an impressive 14 laps. 

This was another great event from the Chocolate Foot Organisers Joe and Fi. The series is becoming extremely popular and this year the competition is fierce not least because the World 24 hour looms just ten weeks away. The next race will be held on the 29th September at Awaba and close battles and ferocious racing is guaranteed.