Tri girl - Thanks again for all the comments. Interesting that you suggest Going Long as I've seen it advertised in a couple of mags. Might put that on the list for next. I hadn't heard of www.trifuel.com so will definately have a good look there. It's great to actually hear about peoples successes with workouts. The English Channel is 22miles in a straight line (though few people are lucky enough to swim in a straight line) - it took 12.5 hrs and I was very tired afterwards. Actually speaking of books and swimming, I just got a copy of Lynne Cox's Swimming to Antarctica which I'm finding an easy but motivating read - good for holiday reading. Since I'm now off on a bit tangent I watched Touching the Void just before my swim (have not read the book yet) which is Joe Simpson's account of climbing out of a crevass and being rescued after a terrible mountain climbing accident in Peru (I think Peru). It is an amazing story and incredible to see how the human body can be pushed in extremes.

mel1976 - thanks for the offer but after dropping some hints DH has decided it would be a good Christmas present and I managed to track a copy down at one of the bookstores in the city. I know what you mean about being a book junky - DH is teasing me at the moment and suggesting I think I can read my way through a HIM ah well I'm just a sucker for research I think. Love you library iidea, I actually cleared out the running, swimming and tri shelves at the local library the other day. Seems someone else had a few tri and cycling books out but I got a couple of good ones especially a one on running. A uni library might be a good option actually, I hadn't thought of that. My brother is doing PE teaching, I should ask him what they have on the shelves. Will be keen to hear what you think of the oother books you've got.