Try-athlons change you – the basics here in France

It started as an idea. Someone mentioned this to me and I wondered if I could. Now I know I CAN. Gratification through effort. What am I raving on about do you ask? Triathlon. I have to say it again, try try try ahtlon. I have always been a rather, very, sporty type but also needed to let that competitive panther that lies in me, out. Grrrrr. So when I signed up to join one of the area's most well known clubs (also for it's rugby, football, rowing, cycling… divisions) the Aviron Bayonnais Triathlon last April I knew I was in for a big challenge. Pourquoi? Because it's a mind blowing challenging sport combining a swim in open waters, a cycle on sometimes hilly roads and a run that you could frankly do without, right at the end. The distances are multiple, you can choose from XS for novices and first timers, SPRINT for those who want speed but shorter distance, Olympic Distance (called Courte Distance sometimes here in France), Half Ironman (ok that's starting to become inhuman), Ironman (yes, the one when you finish crawling across the finishing line) and then, the ULTIMATE HEAD and BODY BLASTER: the extreme triathlon, the ones that go up stupid terrains where near mortals wouldn't even go for a light walk without stopping under the strain, where the water is a nippy 11°C and the cycling terrain is like cycling up Mount Everest, on a bad day. Being a fit person with a real inclination for outdoor sports made me over exited to try it out. I started in the club mid season when everyone else had been training together already for months. But I wasn't playing catch up. Read on...

AWAKENINGS

It has been a while. The creative vibes have penetrated me again, seeping into my pours, all my senses alight with inspiration. INSPIRATION. Isn't it wonderful when it takes over again. For whatever reason, sudden creative paralysis sporadically grips us, plunging us into pragmatism and a sometimes slightly too raw every day life. And then we WAKE UP. Like after drinking a strong coffee at your favorite cafe. I woke up around 13h47 last Thursday and decided it was time to start writing, painting, photographing, sharing the immense fascination I have for life again and this world that surrounds us all. Read on...

Movember’s round the corner

  So it's that really super fun but also super important time of year again: MOVEMBER For those of you who think I have misspelt the 11th month of our calendar, here are some of the values and goals stated by the Movember awareness crew: Campaign Strategy & Goals: We will get men to grow moustaches and the Read on...

FIAC time again!

Josef Albers - Variant Please go read about the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation for artists Tarek Al-Ghoussein, Beautification - 2012 Bernard Frize - Louma Bernard Frize, Croix Read on...

The talented David Hockney’s summer

I saw recently on the Saatchi Online store that I like to frivolously and dream fully follow, that one of David Hockney's paintings from his 60s collection was on sale. I LOVE this period and adore Hockney's eye for the Hollywood and L.A scene were all is simplified, naive and slightly surreal. Read on...

Book Review: Tattooisme 1 & 2

You must know about my love for ink, having been inked many times in my still short but rich life... So when I discovered the beautiful book Tattoosime a while back after having been to it's launch at Artazart (special hello to you guys!) I got hooked on this amazing presentation of famous and gifted tattoo artists and their work. So when I Read on...