I often find on speaking with those back home (UK), that life as a coach can seem very similar from one day to the next, for me there are obvious differences - where to set, who did what, who skied well, what we changed, how high or low the group is, how happy or angry someone is. However, more often than not, we got up early, trained hard, did some activities, filled our day & all went to bed tired! Then it's get up and repeat. For anyone thinking coaching is a doddle - that's because you aren't doing it properly, if you want to know about how busy a coach can be, have a chat with TJ after this camp!

The point is that we finally have something different to write about! Wohooooo! Blog updates are pretty scarce with Ambition as in all honesty, it seems a bit crap to make some minor event seem like it is life changing. So, yesterday we climbed Stelvio on the bikes (i'll be reasonably short as its late, we are tired & we are ploughing through the camp in a 1-er) and this is what we learnt, the top 10 in no particular order;

It is cool to challenge yourself & you can never tire of the sense of achievement.

The guys doing TDF are either a) super-human naturally or b) super-human un-naturally.

Thank the lord for the 'granny' cog.

Cramp & cleats are not friends.

The way down is way more fun.

Ned Loder = legend.

Every kg counts.

At times, i'll admit a can of Coke can taste good.

Will power is everything.

These are the days the guys will remember long after ski racing is gone.

The most prominent point is number 6. Ned Loder. Who? i hear you ask. If i ask most people to give me a list of the best 98's and 99's from last season, Ned probably wont feature on many lists. He also was not first up the hill yesterday. But he made my ride way more enjoyable that's for sure. Humour & will power all the way on a bike that probably weighs as much as our VW Transporter. As we got to the top i wondered how many guys there are out there who 'really want it', who would have been willing to put themselves through that climb, without prior training, just because they were up for a challenge. The answer is not many - and that gives me belief that perhaps Ned has got the right 'minerals' for this sport after all.

Ski Racing is about physical and technical excellence, that is for sure, but it is also about will power, mental strength and the desire to challenge yourself and see what you are capable of. It did not make a lot of sense to smash this ride in the middle of a camp, however, the opportunity was there for the taking and we fancied the challenge.

Good job guys, a very cool experience to share with you (despite us probably recorded some of the slowest Strava times on record).

Adios!