The Decade in review....................2001

In terms of reflecting on defining moments and milestones that have happened in my life, 2001 has to be the year that has provided the foundations of where I am in my life in 2009 and where I will be in the future. I am a strong believer you get out what you put in. Saying that, the journey is alot longer if you are a busy fool so its important to ensure you prioritise and doing things as effectively as possible which I feel I have tried to do and am constantly striving to do better.

They say that the three biggest worries people have are;

1. Relationship problems

2. Financial problems

3. Work/Career problems

In 2001, I made significant steps onto the ladders of each of the above which at the time I probably didn't realise how significant they would be in playing a part in my life for the long term.

In terms of relationships I had met Nikki. I don't remember at the time thinking long term about our relationship. We where having a great time and enjoying the time we spent together but where still quite independent. At the start of 2001 Nikki went to Australia for the month of January to her friend Jane's wedding. That 4 weeks felt like a life time and I feel that the time apart brought us closer together. It was probably after this point I started thinking more longer term.

In terms of Financial, I had seen my way through University and graduating in 2001 been debt free. This is largely down to my mum and dad supporting me all the way through my University life. They bought me a car (my little white vw polo) which got to Uni and back and to my job in Leeds and back 4 times a week. On that note, I used to earn £5.00 an hour. Work 4 hours so £20. The cost of petrol, parking, lunch and a drink after work usually resulted in it costing me work!!!!! Wouldn't have ever changed it though.

My mum and dad where awesome in supporting me and ensuring I got off on the right foot with no financial worries and I cant thank them enough for that because without that, I wouldn't be where I am now.

I graduated from Uni in May 2001. Me and my best buddy Ben then hit Thailand for a months traveling with our back packs. What a month we spent traveling! It was an action packed month that has stuck with me until now and something that plays a big part of my long term plan in terms of what I want to do when i retire.

Bangkok

Me and Ben drove down to Heath row to catch a flight to Bangkok. We spent a couple of nights in the heavily polluted, busy and action packed city. We ate from street vendors, went to sex shops to see women pop 8 ping pong balls out their passages and fire darts from their door number twos bursting balloons. My eyes where seriously opened after a night watching them!!!

Chang Mai

A couple of nights in the big smoke was enough and we headed on a 12 hour bus drive to Chang Mai in northern Thailand. We spent just under a week here which involved a three day trek of elephant riding, bamboo rafting, staying with tribes in the middle of nowhere and meeting up with some great people. After a week spent in Chang Mai in sampling the hot springs, nightlife of the markets and the awesome food it was time for us to head down to the southern islands of Thailand for some island hopping.

The journey down there consisted of another 12 hour bus ride down to Bangkok followed by another 12 hour bus ride through the night down to the east coast of Surratani to get a 3 hour ferry out to the island of Ko Phang Yang.

Ko Phang Yang

What a place this is! We spent just under a week here sampling the chilled out island that changed for 24 hours with the start of the Moonlight Party once a month. This amazing event takes place once a month under a full moon. The party is awesome and has been a mecca for travellers since the early nineties and then became a global dance music festival that is today attracting thousands of visitors from every walk of life. The event is basically stretched over a beautiful beach with all ends of the spectrum of music from hard core dance to chilled out tunes. It attracts thousands of people and the atmosphere is fantastic listening to music, on the beach watching the sun come come up and go down whilst having a few buckets is pretty awesome and nothing quite like it. Something to be repeated with the kids one day i think...........

One important milestone that happened on this island for me was getting my University degree results. Before setting off for the trip I had sat all my final exams and was expecting the results through the post whilst I was away and it happened to be when on the island of Ko Pang Yang. I remember me and Ben getting a couple of bikes and taking off to the other end of the island which was spectacular. It still sticks in my mind that day. I remember thinking when on the bike (with no helmet and in my shorts and flip flops!) for the 25 Min's that I was having such an amazing time here but if my i didn't get a minimum of a 2:2 grade it would really spoil the whole trip and I would be extremely disappointed. I remember finding a pat phone and akin the call to my mum who had recieved the results. She gave me the great news that overall I had achieved a 2:2. I was over the moon, mainly because I feel i had completed my Business & Marketing degree by obtaining a 2:2 but equally important I had got the relevant work experience that supported my CV in looking for my career.

The remainder of the traveling trip was spent backpacking the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Toa. Ko Toa was an amazing little island. We stayed in a little shack on the island of Ko Toa that cost about £3.20 per night that looked out over the sea. This was so relaxing, peaceful and had spectacular scenery with small islands surrounding the main island that where access able by taxi boat.

Ko Samui was more commercial and I dread to think what it would be like today. A funny story happened whilst on the island which in reflecting upon was funny, but not at the time for me!

With three days to go till our flight back to the UK, I decided to stay on the island of Samui one extra day while Ben got a bus back to Bangkok. Earlier that week we had been in to order a tux which where so reasonably priced that we couldnt resist buying one. I had paid the deposit for the suit and was due to pick up on the day I was leaving. I woke up the morning before i was due to set off back to Bangkok and went to get some money out to pay for the suit and get back to bangkok via the bus. I only had a small bit of change on me and took the walk down to the cash point. After several attempts the cash point would not allow me to get any money out. Oh shit I thought, here I am stuck on a small island off the coast of Asia with no money and no ticket to get back to bangkok! I first of all rang my dad with the little money I had whos response was well if you cant get money make sure you get the trousers for suit you have paid the deposit for, Really helpful! My mum on the other hand after a couple of trips to the Halifax worked her magic in putting some additional funds into my account. It is not something that can usually be done from the UK to other countries that transfers are available to be withdrawn from instantly, but my Mum as usual worked her magic and the following morning as I took yet another walk down to the cash point, their was money available for me to withdraw! What would we do without our Mums eh!

She was extremely relieved once I returned home safely which I did!

That is the real attraction for me and the diversity of Thailand. The combination of the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest, most polluted, hot, cultural capitals of the world. The thought of visiting Bangkok just excites me so much but when I know wen I get there I just cant stay any longer than a couple of days just purley because of the intensity of the place. A one hour flight can get you to Chang Mai in northern Thailand. Tribes living in the forest are so isolated to the point that they have never ventured outside their tribal areas and into the big city. You are then presented with some of the most beautiful and tranquil islands in the world in Ko Pang Yang, Ko Samui, Ko Toa and Ko Phi Phi to name a few.

For me, I know this month spent away traveling only touched the tip of the ice berg in terms of what is out there, but for me it lit a flame inside that is has given me the ambition to want to travel the world and explore what else is out there. Writing this blog now 10 years on from when I visited that fire inside me is still burning and I can wait to take off traveling again with Nikki and the girls.................

Below

Me returning from Thailand and receiving a bottle of Moet from my Mum and Dad in way of congratulations on graduation.

The Start of my Career with CCE

And my R reg Vauxhal Combo with 60k miles on the clock and a top speed of 74mph (downhill)

I had the traveling bug and came back home with two options. The first one was to book a flight and start that traveling bug again. This was so tempting after the great time over the last month but I had spent the last three years studying and working part time and I knew in the back of mind that I did want to get on the working ladder so I gave my self a deadline. Give it 2 months and if I dont find anything then look at setting off traveling.

Below

An apprehensive looking me taken before I set off for my interview with CCE.

When at Uni I spent a great deal time looking into companies, registering with with online recruitment agencies and generally been quite specific in what i applied for and what I was looking for. I wanted to join an fmcg company that had career prospects and job security. Having posted my CV to countless number of recruitment agencies I got invited to an interview with Michael Page recruitment in Park Row in Leeds. Following an interview with them I got selected to go for an interview for Coca Cola Enterprises as a Sales Development Representitve in Sheffield. Following the interview I was successful and got offered the job covering East Leeds, Castleford and Pontefract. I was over the moon. I had realised my ambition of getting a job from Uni to work for an fmcg company in Leeds.

This was a significant change in my life. The start of new job, moving out of home at the age of 21 and moving over to Leeds which also allowed me to be closer to Nikki.

3/09/2001 was my start with Coca Cola Enterprises.

After growing very found of my vauchal combo they decided to replace the fleet with the astra van.

As soon as i found out about the job I started looking for a house straight away. As a country we where in the middle of the Boom period with inflation rising and with property prices shooting through the roof, literally. I wanted to get on the ladder as soon as possible and after looking at city centre appartments and other properties in and around Leeds I found the perfect place in Robin Hood on the outskirs of Leeds. I purchased the house for £55,000. It was a two bedroomed spacious terraced house with a garage and good sized back garden but was in need of some desperate updating from the bright yellow skirting boards to the jungle of a back garden.

First step onto the property ladder

I was over the moon with my purchase but this could not have possible with out the support of my mum and dad and Grandma and Grandad. They had set up trust funds for me and my sister and paid into them on a regualr basis from a young age which allowed me to put a deposit on this house. 49 Bryony Court, Leeds. Without this I could have potentially not got a mortgage. My monthly mortgage payments on a £50k mortgage where £220 per month! Interest rates where at rock bottom so there was no excuse not to get o the property market.

The purchase of the property went through really quick and I had moved into the house within 3months. I was still very much seeing Nikki but always wanted to purchase my own house and at the time I guess we both didnt want to rush into anything.

I spent a good few months sorting the house out, cleaning, painting gardening to get the house back up to scratch in terms of the way it looked. The previous owner had had a dog so I put new carpets and wood flooring down which made a massive difference in giving it a newer fresher look. I was to live in the house for a year before selling and moving in with Nikki in 2002.

So theres 2001, in a nutshell Graduating, Thailand, New job, First home and moving closer to my girlfriend Nikki, what would 2002 hold..................

The Decade in Review....................2000

The New Year of 2000 has to be the biggest of them all. When going into the year 2000, we celebrate that it's a special round number, a new century, a new Millennium, and that it's passed 2000 years since year 1 started. Pretty awesome when you think about it! Another reason to make the New Year of 2000 a defining moment was that it was to be the first new year I brought in with my now beautiful wife Nikki. We brought in the new year at the Millennium Square in Leeds to a countdown on the big screen followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

At this point in my life I was studying my Business and Marketing Bachelor of Arts degree at Humberside University and in addition to that I was working at Miss Selfridge in Leeds on the leather concession called Talc part time as a concession manager. I always remember my first couple of months at University not knowing if this was the right thing for me. I had chosen to go to the University in my local City of Hull.

The main reason for this was to keep costs down as Universities just started charging per semester. Not knowing if student life and further education was for me I pursued my real interest of work and in the year of 2000 I got a promotion whilst working part time from the concession in the Topshop branch in Hull to the Miss Selfridge branch. This was to b one of the most defining moments of life and where and I would meet my lifelong future soul mate and wife. My degree consisted of 6 hours study a week so on the back of this combining my studies with real life work experience and getting paid for it gave me two benefits. The first one was the feel for money and what you could do with it and the second was that I realised that I didnt want to work in the retail industry. Dont get me wrong, I would never change my time doing this, it gave me a great deal of exposure to working with different people but also working in Leeds which is something I always wanted to do. Working in a busy environment and combining that with a busy social life was great.

Works nights out included me and 20+ girls, awesome!

This picture was the first taken of me and Nikki at the Miss Selfridge branch in Leeds! Nikki was a Visual Merchandising Manager for Miss Selfridge and used to visit the store once every other week and this is where I met her. It all started with a trip to the cinema to watch the film the Beach followed by nights away with Nikki when she was working away in cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Derby. It was love at first sight really for me. There was something about Nikki, her personality, her looks and drive to be the best she could. We really did just connect instantly, we had the same interests in traveling, working out and going to the gym, and enjoying the simplest of things like going for walks and having bbq's in the back garden. As they say the rest is history..........

July 2nd 2000

This date is certainly a defining moment not just in the year 2000 but over the last decade and will continue to be. This is the date when Joey Dunlop one of my biggest peers / idols passed away. He is not someone I had ever met, but having seen him been interviewed, the way he approached his sport, the way he raced competitively over a period of 4 decades and to see his achievements was ore inspiring.

Joey was regarded as the worlds greatest ever road racer, the King of the roads.

Joeys phenomenal record of achievement is endless:

1/ Five Formula One World Titles

2/ 26 IOM TT Triumphs in 25 years

3/ The undisputed king of Dundrod with more Irish National road race victories than any other rider.

4/ 13 North West 200 victories, the list is endless

Its not just his list of achievements that inspires me but the way he went about it and his values. His Modesty, Combined with his natural ability it was his humility which made him so special. He treated success with equal modesty whether it be the biggest race of the race or a race in his back yard. He had a real passion for his chossen sport of road racing which is essential to be successful.

Joey was also a family man, from footage I have seen we shared the same values. He adored his family and they played a vital role in supporting him through his racing.

He was awarded the MBE in 1986 for his services to the sport, and in 1996 he was awarded the OBE for his humanitarian work for children in Romanian orphanages. Joey would often load up his race transporter and deliver clothing and food to the trouble spots of Bosnia and Romania.

His humanitarian work undertaken was tireless and was done without drawing attention to himself.

In my eyes to summarise my hero,

I would say he was a gentlemen who worked hard to get the success that regarded him as the best in his field. With this accolade, he never let stardom change him and remained as genuine and grounded as ever.

Alot of the over rated, over paid sports personailities and footballs could learn alot from the king of the roads, Yer Maun........

For me, "Great" is a much over-used word. Joey wasn't simply great he was the Greatest.

RIP JD

21st Birthday

In 2000 I also celebrated my 21st Birthday. It was qiute a surpirse when I went out for chilled out drink with Ben, Sarah and Nikki to the Beech Tree. After a few beers and thinking we where setting off in the morning I was greeted by a surprise party at my mum and dads when we got back from the pub! Totally unexpected and a real treat to end the day with the family and friends. Me and Nikki then drove down to London the following day to stay at the Marriot for a couple of nights. We had a great time and it made my 21st a real special occassion.

Review of the last Decade........

I love updating my blog, although updates at times can be very brief, it gives me the opportunity to review and reflect and more importantly document things ongoing so that they can be looked back at in months, years and decades to come.

With this in mind I started doing the blog about 18months ago so dont really have any updates past this point. I have decided to review the last decade year by year with milestones, highlights and challenges that I have been faced over the last decade.

I was hoping to complete this in one night but having started on christmas eve its taken me over two weeks. There was alot more content than I thought over this period and from 2000 to 2004 I didnt have all the pictures as some had been taken not on a digital camera.

For me this will and has been an awesome way of reflecting and more importantly for the girls to reflect upon in years / decades to come.

Enjoy..........................

l

MONEY, MUSCLE & THE MILLENIUM SQUARE

The 3 M's this week are Money, Muscle and the Millenium Square.

Why? Let me explain......

Ebay

Until last weekend I was a virgin to selling anything on Ebay, Im not now! My new hobby is selling items on Ebay! I sold a projector stand that was bought for the projector in the kitchen but didnt fit. It was still boxed and had never been used and I had 5 bids for it on Ebay and eventually sold it for £72, happy days. I curently have a multi function oven on there that is still brand new and boxed which with one day left has only had one bid for £50. What I have found out though is that the fun really starts in the last 24hrs and even more so in the final couple of hours when the bidding really starts hotting up.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260511833207&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

We have got a few items that need selling so I plan to get these on before xmas to hopefully generate a bit of extra pat cash.

Muscle - Training

I talked last week about momentum in my training and I have continued with another great week of training. I set myself a target of training all week on the bike but it didnt turn out like that. Monday and Tuesday evening was spent on the bike covering 18 miles across the two nights on the trainer. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening session where short and sweet. I only spent a maximum of 30 mins each time in the gym but worked at quick reps with only a 30 second max break so I was really feeling it by the end of each session. My diet has been spot on this week again, plenty of protien, plenty of veg and regular eating times during the day.

For the first time in all long time I feel like I am going in the right direction. Main reasons behind this are momentum, keeping up the regular training session even when I have been limited for time on an evening, keeping up on the diet with plenty of protien. Granted over the last week or so I have had a couple of beers but everything I do has to be about sustainability and having a few beers once in a while is always going to be on the cards, which leads to the next M.......

The Millenium Square - The German Market - Leeds

Wow, this event is awesome, right up my street. We visited last weekend with my mum and dad and sister. We got on the train at Selby where we met them and headed over to Leeds. We went into Prohibition for a coffee then headed to the German Market. Wwe couldnt have timed this any better, both the girls fell asleep as soon we got to the market and satyed asleep for 2 hours. This allowed us to have a short walk round then head into the beer tent where we sat in a perfect little alcove eating the finest german sausage sandwiches and drinking glasses of 1 ltr german beers (2 pints in one glass). Having had 3 pints me and dad where feeling a bit light headed to say the least. The atmosphere was fantastic and it really felt like you where in Germany at one of the local beer / xmas markets.

Now thats what I call a serious bbq, MEGA................................................

Momentum...... 6 weeks to take it to the next level

Last week was a great week for training, a week that was well thought out, about when I would train and the diet I would have. I watched a program on SKY that said when weight training / exercising and getting into shape its 70% diet, 30% training that constitutes getting to where you want to be? Open for discussion I guess?

My thoughts are that they both go hand in hand and that what ever you do has to be sustainable for the long term which is an aspect of my training that i am still striving for and feel I constantly will be buts it what i / we all do now that makes a difference.

Momentum Definition

The impetus of a body resulting from its motion
Driving power or strength

Planning and Prep for your goals is invaluable and with the hectic lifestyle of my wife, two kids and work, trying to have a balance and the energy to fit in the training sessions is hard. On the back of last week I feel I have found momentum.

I did a total of 4 one hour sessions. Dont sound alot but I focused on all areas of the body in chest, triceps, biceps, back, shoulders, legs and some real work done on my abs. Apart from doing the sessions I felt they where quality sessions by:

1. Pushing myself to failure on the weights on every muscle group



2. Doing abs til failure after every



3. High intensity on the bike and doing 5 miles on the trainer after each weights session

Based on the above statement of 30% training constitutes the way you want to be, and the good weights sessions I had last week, I backed this up with a really strong week on the diet front. How did I do this?

1. Sticking to regular eating times

2. Eating key proteins such as eggs, chicken, nuts and fish

3. Due to been on the road with work alot, I have backed this up with taking protien shakes twice a day when training both pre and post workouts.

4. Herbal tea and Coffee as a source of caffine and herbal tea at other times.

These areas of training are nothing new to me, I have known them for a long time now but its applying them on a regular basis. Momentum is a great thing, it gives you a start on something you are pursuing or wanting to achieve. Based on the week I had last week, I really cant wait for next week and taking the aspects of the training that went well into the week and ensuring I get a second week of great training.

So, whats happening 6 weeks today? Me and my Wingman DR B. Thurlow are doing the below ride I planned out today on the 27th Dec. He is back in Hull with the girls to see his family so I have put the below together. I sent the below to BT on email and along with myself I have challenged him to 120 miles on the bike trainer between now and ride, that only 20miles a week. Challenge set.

The 27th Dec Ride........

1/ Depart 7am Either Elloughton or 225 CL.
2/ Head to Walkington via same route as before.
3/ Follow back road to the outskirts of Beverley.
4/ Beverley to Bainton. Its an A road but should be pretty quite. Some great rolling hills which are great combinations of some steep short climbs and quick rapid decents.
5/ Bainton to Pocklington via the B1246. Again, havent been on some time since been on the motorbike but awesome roads in the middle of nowhere which should be really quite. Again, good combination of hills and decents but if memory serves me right there are more decents so will be great for increasing average speed.
6/ Pocklington to Shiptonthorpe via the A1079. We are only on this for 2miles and hopefully wont be too busy.
7/ Shiptonthorpe to Home on Spalding Moor via the A614. Straight flat road, aim for 19mph avg speed on that section with some serious slip streaming.
8/ Depending on how we feel, choice of two routes. Take the route we took before heading towards to Selby, then howden, Gilberdyke, Newport, North Cave, South Cave and then Elloughton. If we do the other shorter route (probably wont!) Holme on Spalding Moor to Howden to join the Gilberdyke / South Cave / Elloughton road.
9/ If we go from 225 CL , we will do spout hill head back via another challenging couple of hills then those mega rolling hills back towards raywell.

Monday Night training

Biceps and Shoulders - I made this a real intensive workout, Medium rate reps but with only 20 sec breaks between each one. I focused on all areas of the bicep and the forearms. After 20 mins my arms where bits and I was now doing my reps to failure. I felt like I had given my arms one of the best workouts for a while, despite not the quickest but certainly the most effective. I then did my shoulders to failure.

The key difference this session is keeping going through the pain barrier and at the end of the session doing 150 sit ups....... Great session, got the week off to a good start.

Tuesday Night Training

Tonights session for me was all about taking my head somewhere else as its been one of those days, cant really say why but not one I want to repeat on a regualr basis. As a result I sat on the bike trainer for 8 miles focusing on split sets. 1 mile at 16mph, 1 mile at 23mph. Felt good and as this is the first time I have tried this session its given me the benchmark to do 10 miles next time. Again, as with Mondays session my legs are in bits now and feel like jelly.

Thursday Night Training

Just a pure chest session til failure on every set followed by 250 sit ups. The big difference in this session would be I would normally not do sit ups due to, well really not been bothered! Hopefully this is going to be the difference in doing sit ups at the end of session.

Sunday Training

A killer arms session to the piont of not being able to move them for some 1 hour after! My arms felt like rocks for about an hour after. I always remember watching Arnie on youtube doing a training session and talking about the "pump." He believed the "pump" was like having sex! He talks in his distinctive Austrian accent about training your muscles to the piont of explosion and maximum tension so they feel really tight. He talks about how he feels like he is having sex at the gym and at home, "Its like im sex all the time!" Maybe not to the extent of having sex but feeling the "pump" like I did today is a pretty good feeling and for me determins on how much of a good session you have had.

My objectives for this week are purely CV and getting out on the bike. I only did 8 miles on the bike this week and I am aiming on doing 20 a week so feeling like I have had a good week on the weights I am going to aim to do 4 interval sessions on the bike this week and focus on building the time up on the bike.

Bonfire Night and Halloween in pictures!

Bonfire Night spent at Monk Fryston Hall

The two spooky halloween girls!

Parent tip, never leave your 13month old daughter along for a second!

I have been concious over the last few blog updates that the content of them was quite rushed. I am not wanting to write war and peace but at the same time want each of the updates to have a point, benchmark, a reflection and a forward plan for the next day week or month. On the back of this I am going to try and and start to write a bit every couple of days.

What a great feeling..........

Saturday morning, my alarm call goes off at 6am in the form of Nyah shouting "Daddy, can I come in your bed?" Theres only one answer when she says it that cutley! Nyah stays in our bed for 20 mins or so then I go down and get the girls milk for them to have in our bed. By 7am I have got the wind in my face and crusing on the 38 mile bike journey over to Hull. Early mornings are part and parcel of having kids so getting the opportunity to make the most of them and get out on the bike is a no brainer. I was aiming to head over to my mum and dads for 9ish and Nikki and the girls would meet me at my Grandma and Grandads for 09:45am.

I took the picture above onmy phone on the old A63 road from Selby to Howden. The air was fresh, the skies where clear and the sun was rising right in front of my eyes. For me, there really isnt a better way to start the day. I was really happy with the pace a made over to my mum and dads, its a total of 27 miles and having set off at 7:10am I arrived there at just before 08:45am. The journey was good and I felt I maintained a constant cadence at a higher tempo that normal. When I arrived at my mum and dads, me and PC Senior May headed to Grandma and Grandads.

On Sunday we headed to see our new born God daughter Angelina Thurlow. It was great to see the guys with the new arrival. Anoushka looked fantatsic considering what she had been through over the last month or so. Little Angelina was even cuter in real life. So proud to be god parents and she is going to be seriously spoilt in years to come! Welcome to parenthood, you guys are really going to make great parents.

Training this week.

This week has seen me complete one of the best weeks of weight training I have done all year. Why? Well because I planned what I wanted to do this week in both my weight sessions and diet and have I have stuck to it. So far I have completed 3 weights sessions:

1/ Chest and Triceps (Monday)

2/ Back and Biceps (Tuesday)

3/ Legs and Shoulders (Thursday)

Equally important if not more so I have been really strict and consistent with my diet. Eating on a regular basis and the eating the right foods have been key. This week has really given me the motivation and drive to deliver consistent training sessions over the winter months. I have spent time in getting the garage cleaned up and it looks spot on now. You are only as good as your last week so key for me will be to deliver 2 training sessions over the weekend and a further 4 sessions next week.