Emma update

This is Emma in hospital. I am about to go and take over from Kate, she hasn't had a break all night and morning. The grandparents are going to look after Mitchell so Kate can get some much needed rest.





Emma's heart rate at rest is my Maxim. This is what has the doctor's concerned. Her blood test so far have reveled nothing which is good. She is just struggling with a fever. It is going to be another long night.

Sick Emma, Friday 30th May

Today was not that great. Emma was developing a fever just like what Mitchell had. The doctor said to keep a close eye on her and if she doesn't improve take her straight to the Royal Children's. We were suppose to catch up for Kate's grandmothers birthday but had to postpone due to Emma's condition. Happy Birthday Dori.

By 9pm her temperature was climbing and she was constantly grizzling so Kate took her in to the Hospital. They admitted her straight away and stabilized her condition and it now looks like she will be in over the weekend. The good news is she is now improving and will be back to normal shortly.

With all this going on we nearly forgot to pay the rego and insurance on the utes. Luckily reminders were in place and we didn't miss the due dates.

As far as riding go's, the added rest will just make me faster for the weekends encounter at Chase the Sun Rd2.

Thursday 29th May

Mitchell still had a fever last night so we had another disturbed sleep. Throughout the day he has improved and seems to be back to his normal self. Kate's parents looked after him for a few hours today which seemed to cheer him up.

I also tried a bricklayer out today but found him to be a labourer who could lay bricks, not really what i am after. We have 4 more to try next week so hopefully one will be just what we are after.

Also had a haircut today to freshen up. Whenever i start to get a bit cranky this seems to help put me in a better mood.

Training tonight was 'Tour the burbs' which was a great hit out before the weekend. Lots of tempo and powerfull surges to really open up the lungs. Ben Randell was smashing it and i am sure Russell Collet and him will be the main competition at Chase the Sun. I am going to have an easy day tomorrow so i will be fresh for the weekends race.

Last night was a tough one. Mitchell woke in a sweat burning hot, then projectile vomited all over the place. I took him up to emergency to have him checked. Yes he has a fever not much we can do, keep his fluids up and if it doesn't improve in a couple of days see your GP. This threw out the next day with him still going in and out of a fever and occasionally vomiting. He has fallen asleep for now but still has a temperature and if he hasn't improved by morning will go to the doctor.

Everything happens at once. Today also was the day my mentor and best bricklayer retired. I also had an add in the paper to find his replacement. I have decided just to try bricklayers who are interested and hopefully one will fit in with our style of work.

If you think with all this going on i missed training you would be wrong. I smashed out another 2 hour interval session on the trainer late this afternoon.

Last night i also spoke with Alister from Nightlighning to arrange all my lighting requirements for the upcoming 24 Worlds. He will be tweaking my helmet light with some new LED's that are brighter again. We will also be running the Digital Blast on the bars so if i forget to change a battery i will still have adequate light.

Making progress. Tuesday 27th May

I missed my morning session today opting for some extra sleep. Emma had a good night sleeping for 6 hours straight allowing us to get some quality sleep. I did a couple of small jobs today, a letterbox and patch job.

The usual trainer session was on the cards after work with Mitchell playing in the backyard at the same time. I settled into the 2 hour interval session straight away. A few changes had occur ed: My cadence was faster, my heart rate lower. This means i am now putting out more power for the same effort. This is a great sign that the 12 hour did what i had hoped and stepped my fitness up a notch.

This method of raising your fitness level will only work if you have a sufficient amount of condition eg. a good solid base of quality km. If you don't have the base it will do the opposite and flatten you out.

You need 20-30grams of protein or as i had 1 scoop of Ascend recovery and 1 scoop of Ascend Muscle in 200ml of milk every 5 hours. This not only keeps you preforming at the optimal level but will also assist in a faster recovery.

Monday 26th May

The problem with a race finishing at 10pm is i can't sleep afterwards. After a restless night and a lack of sleep we had a family roast lunch to catch up and celebrate family birthdays. By 6pm i was falling asleep on the couch and told to go to bed.

I must have needed rest as i slept through to 8am starting work a little late. I was on the jackhammer digging a footing for a front fence most of the day. I got it done just before the concrete turned up and filled the trench back in.

With a quick freshen up i was off to Rosanna Remedial Massage to complete the recovery. The only real sore bit was the arches of my feet. Now i can sharpen up for the weekend.

On the weekend i used the Ascend protein during the race. They claim it recovers you faster and this is proof. During enduro races you need a hit of protein every 5 hours to keep yourself performing. This was the first time i have really been able to test this product under race conditions and i am very impressed. There was no stomach upsets and it seemed to satisfy my hunger. It is great to be drinking a choclate milkshake while racing. I pulled up so well that i even went for a easy ride Sunday morning.

Berndigo 12 Hour

Friday was a busy day. Work involved getting about 600 blocks up to the 3rd story of a apartment we are doing in Carlton. When i got home i had to get my stuff ready for the 12 hour and help Kate look after Mitch and Emma when all i really wanted to do was sleep. There was no luck there either as i had to feed Emma at 11pm and 5am. Since i was up I left a bit earlier for the race.

It was a cold start with a good frost over the ground to greet us when we arrived. Not much of a turn out with Solo the biggest category. I had a full kit of skins on for this race as i find they regulate my body temp keeping me warm when it is cold and cool when it is hot. This race was just to get some good miles in the legs without stressing the body and also to allow my dad George to put the finishing touches on his nutritional support job for the worlds( he pulled through with flying colours not missing a thing and keeping to the plan perfectly).

The race started on time at 10am with a solid start. I did half a lap with the leaders before backing off and settling into a steady rhythm. The track was perfect preparation for the worlds as it was 12km long and i climbed 400m an hour getting in 4500m for the ride. It had fast flowing fire roads with great technical single track. In the early stages i was lapping with a team from Kyneton Secondary collage which included one of the best saves i have seen from young Cassidy when his bike slid out as he rounded one of the fast fire road corners. The funniest moment for me was with 5 hours to go when i snuck up on Troy Bailey and gave him a little surprise which seemed to wake him up for the rest of the race. In the end i finished fresh on 17 laps taking the win from Andrew Bell who was their just for a bit of fun.

Warning signs.

I woke up Wednesday with a runny nose. This means I'm pushing to hard and not getting enough sleep so i better back off. I stayed off the bike and managed to get a good nights sleep as Emma only had 1 feed at 2am. When morning came i felt better and my nose had stopped running. Incredible what rest does. I am missing weight training tonight and will just have a cruse on the Tour of the Burgs. It is a fine line, i need a little riding as i have the 12 hour at Bendigo on Saturday but also need rest more so the cold doesn't develop. My experience tells me to rest and let the race do it's job, which is to raise my fitness level a little more.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

It was an early start today. I am feeding Emma around 4am and since i was already up i did a 2 hour session on the mag trainer. This will continue up until i leave for the worlds. It works great, having to feed Emma at around 4am means i have to get out of bed so i can't slack off just because it is cold or i don't feel like it. It also means i don't have to stress about getting my training in for the day especially when work is flat out.

I came home from work a bit early to look after Mitch as Kate had to take Emma to the hospital to have her tear duct unblocked. All was good and she is on the mend. While Kate was looking after Emma i did another trainer session for an hour with Mitchell.

I spoke with Alister from Nightlighting tonight who has organized all the necessary charges for my lights overseas. He also has some new upgrades for my lights making them even brighter and giving more of a spread. I can't wait to see how they preform.

My dad George had another birthday today, so i would like to wish him the best as he settles into retirement.

When it keeps raining

Saturday night the weather forecast was looking bleak. I made a few calls and organized an alternative. I gathered a fellow riding buddies and we bunkered down inside for a trainer session.

This is no ordinary trainer session, in fact i am pretty convinced it can feel harder than racing. It last 3 hours with no breaks. My average heart rate for the 3 hours was 165bpm or 85% of max heart rate. Anyone that finishes is very fit, and everyone toughed it out.

This is a great way to still train hard even when the rain won't let up. You don't miss vital workouts and i believe that it makes racing easy. So next time it's pissing down, gather some mates together and prepare to smash the competition.

Ascend Sport.

I am pleased to announce my newest and most exciting sponsor Ascend. Ascend make a range of protein recovery supplements especially for athletes. I had heard alot about their products through Jason Jackson(Felt epix) and watched his marked improvement over a number of weeks.

I gave Ascend a call and asked if i could try out their product which i have been doing for the last month. Why didn't i announce this earlier, because i needed to know if this range of products worked as well as claimed.

I had just started base training for the 24 hour worlds when i started using the Ascend Elite range of products after each training session. For me protein supplementation is vital as i don't eat meat.

I jumped back into training pretty hard - my first week back on was about 20 hours of training. This can knock you around a bit until the body adapts. The difference i noticed as a result of taking the Ascend products is i felt so much better leading into my 2nd week.

By the end of week 3 i still felt as if i was improving. Usually week 3 is where i start to feel a bit flat - not this time. I still had my scheduled rest week which worked well with Kate having our 2nd child.

So far i am loving the Ascend Elite range of products. I am recovering faster which means i am getting fitter faster. The true test of the product will be over the next two months - i have a heavy training load and lots of racing.

You know you are on to something good when you can train hard and then race well the next day. Chase the Sun rd1 was a good start as i did 150km on the Saturday before and we were still able to take out the win in the Pro male pairs. Stay tuned for more updates.

When it rains, you put on your rain jacket.

I finally got to try out my new rain jacket. It kept me dry and warm, it also didn't sweet up with the black mesh strips to breath.


Andrew Bell and myself at the start of the Hell ride. Wonder where everyone is today.


Kate was on night feeds last night so i could get some sleep before i got up at 3am for my long ride. With the rain starting i headed out the door to do what had to be done. I was at Ringwood before i reached for a drink and realized i had left my bottles at home. I had to do a u bolt back home to pick them up before starting my ride again. I wasn't going to have enough time to head over the mountain before the Hell ride so would have to make an alternate route. Riding up Boronia rd i spotted Andrew Bell coming the other way( who else would you see in the rain on a morning like this.). So hooking up with Bellie we headed down to the Hell ride, of course there was nobody their. With the rain getting heavier we road back through the city before heading for home. Not a bad morning, 5 hours ride time in the pissing rain.

Friday 16th May

A typical Garage session on the Mag trainer. Mitch rides his bike, Fraser keeps an eye on him while Emma soaks up the winter sun.


Jeff in action on Thursday night.

Work today was good as we got heaps done. It was after that things got a little hectic. Kate had to go grocery shopping so i was left to look after the little ones. I had to train and as you can see from the photo this is how it is done. I can get away with this form of babysitting for about 2 hours then all hell breaks loose. You have to be well organized. You must have food and drink on hand for everyone. You also must pay attention to what they are doing or it all fails.

Thursday 15th May

Heading over to Daribin Parklands


Nightlightning Light systems are super bright these days.


Ran out of time to post yesterday. Big day at work and still adjusting to the new family conditions. After bathing and feeding Mitch i went out on the Fatties Wednesday night ride. It was after 8:30pm by the time i got home and i had been on the go since 6am.

Spoke with GKA sports today and they are happy to have me on board for another year. I am stoked because their products are kick arse. I use their Geax tires, Vitori road tires, Gas bombs and pumps, Tuff Gloves and have not had a problem with anything, as a matter of fact these products last forever no matter what you put them through.

Kate has gone for a walk before Mitchell has to be picked up from creche. I am about to head over to Jeff's shed for Kettle Bell training and then out on the Tour of the Burgs. I will sleep well tonight.

Tuesday 13th May. Dodgey

Mitch waiting for dinner the helmet stays on.

Stated a job today that is a real challenge. It is also what happens when a' do it yourselfer' is involved. These are our specialty, jobs others won't do. This is one side of the house the other is the same. We have to remove the existing wall and replace with a new one.

I arrived home today and was handed Emma and told Mitch was running a muck. Giving Emma a quick feed i then took Mitch outside for a ride on his bike while i did a session on the trainer.

It was short but high quality as i didn't have much time.

Monday 12th May

I closed another job today and started 2 more. We just can't keep up at the moment. Some clients have been waiting over 2 months for us to do their job. I'm getting stressed again, with Mick retiring. So far we haven't found a competent bricklayer to fill his position. If you are a qualified Bricklayer or know of one who is interested in a job that has flexible hours, good wages and Ute supplied please contact me.

Today is also a rest day so no riding. I get to catch up with family some more. I went with Mitch around the block on his bike. He is a bit out of control as i put smaller wheels on his walker bike which means he has no brakes. This will be good for latter when he's racing.

11th May Mothers day.

Mitch had a good nights sleep and woke up full of beans about 7am. I was up and about packing for the race. Leaving Mitch in good hands with his grandparents i left for the race. It was great to see so many families their making a day of it. A quick call to Kate to wish her a happy mothers day. Start time was 9:30am and i was off first. With a cracking pace off the start line i was finding it hard to hold the wheel. Towards the end of lap one i managed to take a wrong turn and ended up at the top of the Com's games course with josh and jack. Realizing we had taken a wrong turn we quickly got back on course losing about 4mins that lap. The pace remained high with Murray overcoming a broken chain on his first lap to put a gap between us and the Felt boys. In the end it was that 1min gap that sealed us the victory and the cash.

I took off straight after Murray had finished eating and having the usual Ascend protien shake as i drove to pick up Mitch. Thanking the grandparents for looking after him over the last few days i quickly made my way to the hospital to see Kate and Emma. When i arrived Kate had decided to early release herself and come home. When she got home Mitch gave her a mothers day present and a card (thanks grandma for organizing.) I picked up some fish and chips for dinner. Finally i get time to have a shower slip a fresh pair of skins on for recovery and wind down for bed as i have an early start of 6am.

Saturday 10th May

Up early for the usual Hell Ride. Mitch was goobering at 5am when i left and didn't go back to sleep. As seen above my trusty nightlighting Blast is essential for my early morning rides. Will be racing in the pro pairs with Murry Spink Sunday(mother's day). I will hear about this one till the day i die. I'm off to take Mitch in to visit mum and Emma now so i will see you all tomorrow.

Friday 9th May.

Testing my new Oakley's.


Around the yarra trails.


New angle you can see how much travel i get from the Reba world cup's from the oil mark.

Had a little sleep in then unleashed the Giant Anthem on the Yarra trails for 2 hours. I was pumped and had the big ring roaring. When i arrived home smelt something funny. The sewer had blocked and spent the next hour unblocking it. Kate will be pissed as it is now lunch and I'm not in yet to visit. Got to go and post parts to people who have snapped up a bargain on ebay, then pick up some goodies for Kate before i see her and Emma.

Emma Louise Claxton, 8th May 2008, 3.77kg

Wednesday 7th May

Today was a busy day. I had a few jobs i needed to rap up and a footing to pour for a front fence. At 10am Kate called and told me she was to be induced Thursday morning so i had better finish everything as i would be having the next couple of days off. In the end all was good - I finished in time and even managed to squeeze in another trainer session like yesterdays before Mitch was returned home. Mitch has creche tomorrow which works well since Kate is having the baby. Tonight will be my last good nights sleep for a while.

Tuesday 6th May

Another day gone and the baby hasn't arrived yet. Kate offloaded Mitchell to the grandparents for a short stay so she could have a break. It is really quiet around here without him tearing the place apart.

Today i repaired a front fence, nice easy job and i even finished early. The rain set in this afternoon which makes no difference to training as I'm on the trainer Tuesday's. I have had a few big weeks of base training now, and the first round of Case the Sun is on at Lysterfield Sunday (mothers day). This has not gone down well with Kate about to give birth. It has cost me god only knows what but i have a leave pass to race.

So here is a training tip: When getting ready to race cut the volume by 50% of your total weekly ride time but maintain intensity. e.g. Last week i did about 20 hours training so this week including the race i will only do 10 hours. This is not a taper but i find it freshens the legs up for the next block of training and has you flying on race day. Tonight i did 1 hour of intervals at race pace on the trainer instead of the usual 2 hours.

I have more stuff for sale and have it on ebay at the moment. The last lot went really quick so if you are after some upgrades check out ebay.

Life up to the worlds.

From now on i will be posting daily to give you an insight into how i fit family, running a bricklaying business and training for 24 Hour MTB races into life.

Monday 5th May: Today is a day off the bike for me so that's one less thing i have to do. Morning started with a call from my Foreman asking for a narrower scaffold so he could finish the job. Cancel other plans and deliver scaffold then race over to drop footing plans off to Alex so that could be done.

I took Kate into the obstetricians for her appointment at 11:30am. No good news as she won,t induce her preferring to wait for it to happen naturally. Kate is pretty upset so i will look after Mitch this arvo and work in the office.

I am going for a massarge at Rosanna Remedial Massarge now to freshen my legs up after a few big training weeks.

Just had a call from Mick one of my best brickies. He taught me all about the trade but now has decided it is time to retire. He will be imposable to replace but we will have to try. He has given 4 weeks notice to give me time to find a replacement.

Mitch is in full training just like dad.

On the bike laps of the driveway

Getting ready at Jeff,s shed

Lifting Kettlebells