A kick up the…

At the start of 2012 I had four pretty significant events lined up to challenge me throughout out the year:

1. Move House
2. IronMan Lanzarote
3. The Outlaw Triathlon
4. Write a sequel

The first three have all been done with varying levels of success and satisfaction, so all that is left is number four. Quite possibly the hardest and most stressful task of them all, and I didn’t think anything could be more stressful than moving house.

Yes I’ve written a book before, and yes it was mostly received with warmth and enthusiasm by those that read it – which is just brilliant. I was lucky enough to be nominated for a writing award as well. However it hasn’t stopped me questioning the actual need for a sequel. Am I really interesting enough to justify it? Have I actually achieved anything in the three years since Ironman Germany? Do people actually care?
I alluded to my confidence crisis in last weeks blog, probably also fuelled by “post Ironman blues”. I was already feeling down about my athletic performance and then sunk a bit further thinking about my writing, on the back of a couple of bad reviews from people on Amazon. My heart just wasn’t in it last week. I was a miserable git.

Thankfully that wore off and having been given a good supportive and frank talking to from Emma my mood brightened. The positive comments on my blog and on Facebook/Twitter also helped build my confidence. The final kick up the arse came from my friend Tim, who is a New York Times bestselling author, he gave me a lot of perspective about reviews, getting started on a book ( he’s written over 40 ) and how for a debut author, 30+ 5* amazon reviews and an awards nomination is pretty bloody good. Not everyone will like me or my writing, I appreciate that and this is not a “Me, me, ME” self indulgent pity fest, I just don’t like the idea of people of wasting their hard earned money. BUT if we all were the same, all felt the same, and all liked the same the world and life would be pretty boring.

SO I’m writing, it will be finished by the end of October, and will be published in January. I will be working so bloody hard to make this a great book, one that people will read and at least think “I didn’t waste my money there.”

Thanks everyone for your support and for kicking my arse when I needed it. Here, to wet your appetite is the blurb that was given out to buyers in April at London Book Fair about the scond book.

A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run makes the Ironman triathlon one of the hardest one day endurance challenges on the planet. Now take those events and transfer them to a volcanic rock with cruel winds, rough seas, nose bleed inducing hills and temperatures that could melt a man, and you have Ironman Lanzarote. Why then would Andy Holgate, who admittedly has never swam in the sea, can’t cope with the wind, climbs hills like an elephant climbs stairs and melts quicker than an ice cream in a sauna take on such an extreme challenge? Simple: Because he can…..

Last COLT standing ( working title ) continues Andys amazing and inspiring journey from where Can’t Swim,Can’t Ride, Can’t Run finished and chronicles his attempt to complete two Ironman triathlons six weeks apart.

Outlaws, Assassins, Pirates, childbirth, broken bones, broken bikes, nappies, impalement, udder cream, donuts, intensive care, triumph, forceps, tragedy, dangerous drivers, love and more crashes than the financial markets, all play a part in this enthralling story of one man’s quest  to wear as much lycra and rubber as possible in public without getting arrested.

Andy would be in his 40^th year in 2012, would it be his last? Will this MAMIL ( Middle aged man in lycra ) really be the last COLT standing? Will it be a triathlon too far, or will he succeed against the odds and live to swim, ride and run another day.

 

Andy Holgate is 39 years old and lives in Lancaster, England. In 2007 he completed his first Ironman distance race, The Big Woody. He is married to his “Ironwidow” Emma and they have a 14 month old daughter, Charlotte.

Andy’s first book, “Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run” was published in 2011 and was a top 10 sports book in the United Kingdom, and a No.1 Kindle sports book.

Andy was nominated in 2012 for the “Best New Writer” at the British Sports Book Awards, he was the only non journalist / sports star to receive such recognition. When not out training, or writing his blog, you’ll find Andy working as a Librarian at Lancaster University.