Happy New Year 8th January 2009

2009 has begun and for most of you including myself its back to work after a much needed festive break!

I arrived back in NZ on Tuesday after spending a month in the cold hard winter of Germany. It's brilliant to be back running around in shorts and a T-shirt I wont lie. Not to mention already feeling my first bit of sun burn for the year, Slip slop and slap people..

Of course 09 is going to be a massive year with the start of the New World Championships' Series in May. The excitement that is building around this series is awesome. As an athlete its great to be part of such an exciting new event that will be seen the world over.

As all of you know I've also been on the hunt for a new coach. I never really imagined that there would be a time that I would not be coached by John Hellemans. But we both knew that he was ending full time coaching after the 08 season and so our 11 year professional relationship was over for now.

To find another John? or to find something different this was the first question for myself. I was delighted with the amount of offers I had post the olympics from coaches all round the world. Each and everyone had a different idea and a different take on things. Which would help me go forward in the future.

In the end I have decided to work together with Chris Pilone. As most of you know Chris was Hamish Carter's coach from 2002 until 2006 in which time he took his Gold medal at the Athens Olympics among other results. I watched there build up closely towards Athens and I admired there working relationship. Chris has also and still is coaching many of New Zealand's top international runners. And this I believe is the key to winning the World Championship Series. More and more of our races are being dictated on the run. I'm already one of the fastest runners on the circuit now but both Chris and myself feel I can go much faster in the future. To have Chris's experience and background in not only triathlon but running as an individual sport, will give me a great platform in the coming years as I head towards London.

So my first move of 09 is complete. Now its time to take this white pasty body ( thanks to a German winter) out in this brilliant Manawatu weather and get it fit for WCS 09.

I hope everyone is fit and healthy to start the new year. I'm back on my NZ cell if you need to reach me, it's below again for you.

Cheers

Kris