Year: 2013

  • Race time

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    Sam
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    It’s May, and I start racing at the end of the month. The triathlon racing in South Wales is kicking off, with our own incredibly popular Try-a-Tri yesterday, followed by Blaenavon and Llanelli triathlons in the next couple of weeks. I’m skipping those and starting with the Gloucester Triathlon at the end of the month…

  • Teaching & Innovation

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    Sam
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    I was nominated for some teaching awards by our medical students, and the award ceremony was last week. I think I agreed to go before anyone told me that it was a black tie event (I haven’t worn a dinner jacket since I was a student) but I’m very glad I did. I won the…

  • Google Glass: triathletes and wearable computing

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    Sam
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    Image from Flickr by Antonio Zugaldia Alright. Google Glass. Here we go. Google Glass has been hitting the news recently for a few reasons. It’s the next big thing. Or it’s not the next big thing. Everybody will be recording everybody else. We will need to learn new lessons in etiquette. It sucks. Its amazing.…

  • The Thalamus

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    Sam
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    I’m finally reaching a stage in my life where neuroanatomy is becoming interesting. I know – it’s hard to believe. I really, really struggled when I first encountered the brain 20 years ago, I’ve really struggled since, and after teaching anatomy for almost a decade (next year will be my 10th year at Swansea University…

  • Stupid

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    Sam
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    I am such an idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You’d think I’d know better by now. While I’ve been looking after my bikes fairly well recently I’ve been putting off replacing the pedals on my main road bike. They’re second hand and the left pedal’s tension bolt hex socket has rounded off, so I can’t tighten…

  • Gadgets

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    Sam
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    I bought a new set of scales and they say I am heavier than I thought I was. I bought a new gadget to measure my sleep and it says I don’t sleep as well as I thought I did. I bought a new power meter and today’s test says I don’t put out as…

  • How to stay warm on the bike

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    Sam
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    Another cold snap has hit us when we were getting used to the idea of some milder weather and the roadside flowers of spring. From Twitter and whatnot I get the impression that people not used to riding through a winter are riding their bikes and struggling a little with the cold. Morning temperatures are…

  • Triathlon training in Wales

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    Sam
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    Training over the last couple of weeks has reinforced to me how great it can be to live in Wales, particularly if you get your arse out there to see it. The tides have been high in the mornings making the ride out onto the Gower particularly scenic and encouraging me to warm down after…

  • Run, rabbit, run

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    Sam
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    The Llanelli half-marathon started on a cold morning, which is typical of this race, but without the usual rain/hail/40kph winds. There was a fair old breeze blowing by the coast but we had a bit more protection this year on the new course. This is an early season leg-tester/leg-speeder-upper. It’s an indicator of what the…

  • Llanelli half-marathon 2013

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    Sam
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    Wow, it’s the first race of the year already. It’s a bit early and I’m not anywhere near race form yet but the Llanelli half-marathon is a good tester and gets some race pace into your legs. Last year I was ahead fitness-wise because of an early European Triathlon Champs in April, but for 2013…