After a nice 3 hour bike ride this afternoon, I came back to check last emails before heading out to the Robertson Wine on the Water Festival.

In my inbox was an email from Cecily, my favorite PR girl, who does alot of work with me, for Puma. I was amazed at how ahead of the game Puma were with regards to kit, which is already ready for the 2010 world cup. Kudos to Puma for coming up with what is, in my opinion, kit that has application far beyond Football. I personally, am going to be running in these tops next year, they looks the SHIZ (no relation to the Shiv). This, from Cecily…

PUMA has unveiled the 2010 African team kits to be worn by their 11 sponsored teams: Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Togo, Senegal, Angola and Namibia. See pics and press release attached.

This site is designed to be your toolkit for all news related to PUMA’s African Football offerings.

So I clicked across and got the most amazing shots, for download, as desktop wallpapers. Go check it out…

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Most of you should, by now, be aware of the history behind the brands Puma and Adidas – two companies that were one, before the Dassler brothers split it in two. If you want to know more about it, I strongly advise you read the book Pitch Invasion.

But now, 60 years after their founders went their separate ways, the two companies are uniting to celebrate “One Peace Day.”

It will be a historic hand shake: 60 years after the brothers Rudolf and Adi Dassler went their separate ways to found PUMA and adidas, the two companies will shake hands for the first time. In support of Peace Day on 21 September, PUMA and adidas joined up to create awareness for a day of ceasefire and non-violence. As a sign of amicable cooperation, employees of both companies will play football together on Peace Day, 21 September.

Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA, said: “We are uniting on this day as a commitment to Peace Day. Our common goal being that our collaboration today will help create awareness for the day. Kofi Annan once said that individuals can make a difference and collectively we can make a major contribution. I believe that is the case also for companies. And our unity, in support of Peace Day, is a small step in a positive direction as well as an expression of the united power of sport in a world which we are all responsible for.”

What a great initiative, and about freaking time they kiss and made up. Now, there will be world peace, and love will reign…

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There is at least one thing Bolt and I have in common other than being proud Puma Ambassadors.

Here is me…

and this is Bolt…

Only difference is that he holds numerous world records, olympic medals and had a range of personalised clothing from Puma named after him.

But I guess he’s no Ironman. thanks Puma for keeping my head firmly on my shoulders.

Maybe when he’s in SA they`ll let me open the set before he trashes the decks. maybe…

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Rock that! this, from Science of Sport

The limits to performance

As mentioned last night, it’s still just too early to produce any kind of 10m splits, though hopefully the buzz will speed up the release of those numbers (if you have them, let me know!)

And, as is customary when a world record is broken, people are turning to the next world record and asking how low can it go? Bolt himself said that he could run 9.4s. Like Haile Gebrselassie’s prediction of a 2:03 marathon, a lot depends on whether you believe that 9.4s means 9.40s or 9.49s.

I certainly think something below 9.50 sec is possible, though it starts to approach what I believe is a limit for performance. Last year, some scientists predicted that the ceiling existed at 9.48s, although those predictions always come back to haunt scientists! Peter Weyand once threw out a figure of 6 seconds, though I think we can safely say that’s not going to happen.

One year ago, 9.58s was hypothetical only, and Bolt has pushed the event forward by two generations in one year (it was exactly a year, to the day, between Beijing and Berlin, incidentally. Bolt must enjoy August 16th). So given that improvement, why not 9.4s by 2010? I somehow don’t see it improving that much so soon, but perhaps small increments, and given a long career, Bolt might yet go sub-9.50s. Certainly, not much seems impossible for Usain Bolt, though there is so much hype and lack of objectivity around, it’s difficult to tease out real from make-believe!

Amazing. Another great article of Bolt vs Gay (that’s Tyson Gay not some rumor of ill intent) can be found here.

UNREAL! I really enjoyed that. It will power me through my afternoon session.

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Usain Bolt wants you to wear these for when he wins. Puma
is making them. Nice punt for one of the great partners who make Urban Ninja possible.

They tie to your back, so you can focus your arms on drinking a Jack Black whilst checking your heart rate on your Suunto , wearing your Rockets Compressox, with your Orca hoodie on for cold winter, and shooting a Whasp Green Mamba.

How was that for an associate punt? See – all my brands are what we in the biz like to call “complimentary services”.

Now go enjoy your weekend. I am going to use all my products this weekend. And next week…. I can announce that I have a new TITLE sponsor. I am very excited about this, but all I can say is that the trend of Urban Ninja having brands associated that are based on animal names continues… puma, whasp, orca…

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so the weekend looms just ahead of us now. in merely a few hours time, you will in all likelihood have around 50 hours to what you want, and how you want to do it.

I am running leg 1 in the Houtbay Trail Challenge tomorrow for team Mens Health, hoping to defend a record they set last year. I hope to not let them down and hope to follow some top guys on the first leg. Puma have come to the party with some magic Usain Bolt gear for us too. That’s about 20seconds right there. I am looking forward to powering up the hill at a conservative effort. Thank goodness for a Suunto HRM and a Suunto Footpod to help make the journey that much easier and easier to judge on effort as well. I am so lucky when it comes to sponsors.

Then in the afternoon, I am going to veg out on the couch and watch the tour guys go up this climb…

for Capetonians, relatively speaking, its from the waterfront, to the top of Table Mountain, only twice as HIGH, in 22km.

for the Jozi folks, its Jozi to Midrand, and roughly as high as the clouds. Not the smog, the clouds. Yes, look a little higher. well done.

for Durbanites…. never mind.

If you want to see why the guys go so fast up the climb, apparently they let a rabbit loose up the climb about 30min before they get there. it looks like this (NOTE: This picture is not safe for work, or kids). K – enough of that.

Seriously though, 1700m odd climbing in 22km is a seriaaaaaas effort. there is so much to be decided on there.

After this excitement, where a few Jack Black Beers will undoubtedly flow, we are off to the land of the white loafer for The Housemate’s birthday. Copious amounts of Kleinhoekkloof Wines will be consumed, in honor of him being such a legend.

I do aim to ride on Sunday morning, as the weather will be great, I just know it. Seriously – how power has this weather been in Slaapstad lately? best kept secret of Cape Town is winter. Now that I am training for our Epic Challenge, I need to get the long rides in, sooner than later. Gotta loose some weight, gain some power, and rock the house.

If you haven’t got a challenge in your life right now, get one. Take the leap. Employ yourself and make sure you are reaching beyond what you think you can do, so that you can learn that there are no limits.

and remember to smile, while you are at it.

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hello guys and girls. another cracking weekend in Cape Town saw the first From Monday workshop go down, as well as my first weekend of structured training.

why structured training I hear?

well, I have accepted a major challenge, and its for the greater good as well as for a bit of mental extremity. In an effort to grow and accept and take what comes, I have gained entry to some incredible races early next year, and aim to race 4 extreme races in the space of 4 months. they are:

1. Totalsports Challenge

2. sani2c

3. Cape Epic

4. Ironman South Africa

Just the entry for Epic is amazing, as the worlds toughest stage race, and a waiting queue of about 1000 people to get in, the fact that I got an entry is amazing.

BUT, there is more. In order to raise R100 000 for street girls…. YES, you heard me right. I want to raise R100 000 for a wonderful home in Cape Town called Ons Plek, which takes girls off the street, rehabs them, returns them to a life of meaning, and does this process over and over again.

I can only do this by racing all these races, as I am going in with a “sponsor 1km of my journey” campaign launching in about 8 weeks. I have entries, but here is where you come in.

I need sponsors to help cover the expenses to do the 4 races. The expenses are considerable. I believe not only does this website offer a worthy channel to advertise on, which all sponsors will receive, but I believe that with my partner for the MTB challenges, Brett Chilcott, that we can get some good TV time, and break the R100 000 barrier in funds.

Would you sponsor me? Do you know of anyone who wants to be involved with over 8000 people on a regular basis. This month, I have had over 52 000 unique visitors to this website. That is more than Runners World, Bicycling, Triathlete Magazine, Go-Multi and MSM magazine together.

I am asking for very little in real terms, if you look at those numbers. I am not asking you to support someone random. You read this blog, you get value from it, and you know that I offer a service of integrity, honesty, and a real return.

Dont believe me? Look at the list of people in my sidebar who already believe in this concept.

my proposal is attached ons-plek_urban-ninja-2009-2010-proposal here to have a look through at who is already involved, and to see what I am offering.

Any help will be hugely appreciated.

This blog has gone from zero to 2nd best Sports blog in South Africa. 3rd best Original Writing blog in South Africa, in the space of 12 months. Zero to 52 000 readers in 12 months.

This is the next phase in this incredible journey.

Can you help me?

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Il mostro, PUMA’s Volvo Ocean Race sailing yacht, finished their maiden Volvo Ocean Race, “the Everest of Sailing”, in second place on 27 June 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

click the picture for a bigger view of that amazing picture

The Volvo Ocean Race is a 37,000 nautical mile (68,524 km) round the world adventure and is one of the world’s toughest sporting events.

PUMA’s eye-catching sailing yacht “il mostro”, the innovative PUMA Sailing Collections, the innovative marketing initiatives launched at the numerous stop-over ports, PUMA City and the successful performance of the PUMA Ocean Racing Crew generated extensive media coverage that more than offset PUMA’s investment in the Volvo Ocean Race.

PUMA used the 11 port destinations of the Race to activate complex onshore marketing strategies. PUMA used every single race location – Alicante, Cape Town, Cochin in India, Singapore, Qingdao in China, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway in Ireland, Marstrand in Sweden, Stockholm and finally St. Petersburg – to not only position PUMA as a Sailing brand, but to convey PUMA’s overall brand message, creating visibility for other PUMA categories through media and star-studded events. Such activities have set a new marketing benchmark in the growing sport of sailing. At the same time, while the sport of sailing is often perceived to be very exclusive, PUMA aimed to break down this misconception. The PUMA Ocean Racing campaign has successfully begun to broaden the sports’ audiences, with an inclusive, fun outlook on the sport.

The Volvo Ocean Race was the perfect platform to launch the PUMA Sailing performance and lifestyle collections and reach new target consumers. PUMA launched a full range of nautical inspired apparel, footwear and accessories, from offshore sailing gear to onshore lifestyle fashion.

One of the readers of this blog, a certain Paul Kaye commented on the start, and the finish, of the Volvo Oean Race this year. Kif that!

Awesome eh. I got suckered into some Sailing Performance Gear yesterday as well. Check out my Posterous account to see what I mean.

Posterous is a great way to have a mini-blog, with pictures & videos. So, keep checking my Posterous account for updates on some more intimate pictures about what’s going on in my movements. Its quite similar to my Twitter account, but instead of 140 characters, its pictures and sounds.

Bye!

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I can see it already…

Friday night, some fresh cold Draft Beer from Jack Black at HQ. I’ve heard we might be doing something after, but I am most likely to retire earlier as tomorrow morning is trail run time.

Gotta pack in…

Suunto Red Arrow…

Puma Trail Fox…

and one of these…

Ok.. maybe more than 1.

Then back home for the rugger. The fridge will be looking something like this…

the weekend, in one pure word… bliss!

To all my partners, who make my weekends that much easier… thank you!

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Cape Town, South Africa, 18 June 2009 –Scott Woodwiss of Wymondham has been selected as the UK representative for the Global PUMA Motorsport Fan Reporter Program. Fans from around the world were asked to submit a feature about motorsport, with the strongest entries from selected countries being given a once-in-a-lifetime behind the scenes experience at a Grand Prix event. Scott’s intelligent and compelling perspective was a cut above the rest, and means he will be given a mouth-watering experience at the British Grand Prix this weekend.

Scott’s Fan Reporter experience will include a tour of the ING Renault F1 garage; interviews with BMW Sauber drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld; and a chat with PUMA Ambassador and ex F1 driver Anthony Davidson. Scott will also have Grandstand access to the qualifying on Saturday and race on Sunday. As the official UK PUMA Fan Reporter, Scott will produce an audio-visual summary of his experience, which will feature on the homepage of www.pumamotorsport.com next week.

Scott who has been an F1 fan since the age of two, says: “My passion for Formula 1 is unbridled. I never miss a session, whether it is practice, qualifying or indeed the race. I’m always making sure I am up to date with the latest news and goings-on in the paddock and pitlane, and am really excited and delighted to have been given this opportunity by PUMA.”

PUMA launched its Access All Areas Motorsport campaign in celebration of its 10th anniversary in motorsport. Capitalising on professional associations with Scuderia Ferrari, BMW Sauber F1, ING Renault F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso within Formula One, and Ducati in Moto GP and SBKs; PUMA Motorsport puts fans at the centre of the sport and gives them the opportunity to gain an inside perspective on Formula One. www.pumamotorsport.com is also a central hub for news, opinion and experiences from all over the world, also featuring regular columns from Formula One driver Anthony Davidson, MotoGP driver Alex Hoffman and former F1 driver David Coulthard.

If you like F1 – that’s a wet dream happening, right there. I have some kif Torro Rosso gear lying at home, which I pull out on special occasions only.

Well done Puma – taking it back to the people. I love being involved with you.

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