Snowman Triathlon - A race like no other

1 mountain climbed

2 nd, the position I came out the swim

3, the number of Thames Turbo I-ride race team smashing it up and racing with me

4, times falling down the mountain

5 gels consumed (and around my face afte the bike)! 

6 rpm at many points on the bike course... Snowdonia hills are steep!!! 

7 "wahoooos" on the descent out of Blaenau-Ffestiniog... It was fast!

8 'am I nearly there yets' up Moel Siabod

9  visions of Nevis to keep me going around the course

10 Degrees, how cold the lake water felt on my face

11 degrees, the actual temperature and reason for a 500m smash and grab swim

12 x 11, the number of minutes it took me to get around the bike course

13, the number of times I needed to remind myself I would get round and I enjoy racing

14 divided by 2 people in the support crew cheering me on down the finish....

And 15 realisation moments running the last km that I had actually won and I could soak up the atmosphere!

An unbelievable way to end the Always Aim High Series and my season. It has been a big year, with a mixture of success and lessons learnt. Moel Siabod was the biggest hill of the season, both mentally and physically. lt will, however, soon be followed by many more hills, through winter training and the big challenges I have planned for next season. All I know, is when you reach the top, the view is always amazing and the feeling is like no other. This feeling is what motivates me to work hard, believe in my dreams and keep improving.

Biig thanks to everyone who gives me the opportunity to compete to the best of my ability. 2016 is going to be epic!!

A Day to remember - IM 70.3 World Championships

There are many reasons why a day will stay in your memory. How memories are stored in our brains depends on how they were encoded. Simply put, we have little filing cabinets in our brain for long term memory. A filing cabinet allows us to keep these memories organised, open them up when we want them and put them back when we don't. If, however, we are more emotional at the time the memory is created (or anxious or experiencing trauma), these memories can be left floating around the brain and not stored in the nice neat long term memory section. The memory can be more present, appear when it is not wanted and become integrated into present situations in a, sometimes, less than helpful way. Now, why am I doing the 'Psychology' bit you may well ask..... Well because processing the memory can help. All memories start out as the 'floating' disorganised type, but some are more easily stored than others. Sunday 30/8/2015 has been with me a lot over the past few weeks and it's about time I stored it away in the draw labelled : 'one to remember' .

I will remember it as my first IM 70.3 age-group World Champs. I will remember what it has taken to get me there in great shape and the confidence I felt going into the race. I will be pleased I gave it my all (ending up in the medical tent), but use the disappointment of not putting it together on the day to learn new strategies for racing.

I will remember the beautiful scenery and the opportunity to see a new part of the world. I now know the build up to a race and how important it is to not get excited and nervous too early. The scale of the event was phenomenal and the huge number of athletes a new experience, but an experience I have now had and can deal with.

I will remember the pre-race routine and the waiting. I know the impact of a later start and the lack of preparation I had done for this. I have learnt to replicate start times in training, even if the opportunity to do so might be limited.

I will remember the doubts before the race and in the swim. The frustrations at loosing feet and the lack of belief in the pace I can hold, that I know is there in training. I will remember this feeling for training, for finding faster swimmers to push me and to work towards delivering what I am capable of in races.  

I will remember how much I love cycling up mountains, the feeling of relief, elation and fatigue at the top and the knowledge that it is a good asset to be able to climb.

I will remember how proud I felt to have finished, despite the lack of run legs, the heat and the small demon in my head telling me to stop. I am strong and whilst the run was slow, it was consistently slow and I kept plodding on. I know how I was running off the bike in training and know that this will be there when I need it. I have learnt that you can do it, even when you having a bad day. 

I will remember how great it was to see my family and friends during the run. Them being there reminded me of how much they had given up to support me in the build up, and on the day, and that I could do it. I knew they would be there at the end to pick me up (literally in this case) and still smile, saying you did all you could and have achieved so much.

i will remember the review with my coach this week. The things I have already put in place to make improvements and changes that respond to the mistakes I made and the things I have learnt. I will remember the new found excitement for the next block of training and the renewed belief that I have  in myself to be better.

 I will remember how grateful I felt to be competing against so many amazing athletes and the opportunity to see where I am at and see where I want to get to. I feel grateful for all the support that gave me the opportunity and I can't thank all my sponsors, team mates, coaches, friends and family enough. This continued support will help me take the memories from this race to race faster and better in the future.

So the memories are mixed, some good and some bad. Importantly, however they are now filed away and ready to be used when I need them. Next time I'm on the turbo, on the last rep of a run set or maybe even when I am next on a Swim start line. I finished 17th in my age-group, I survived the heat and I have completed my second IM 70.3 race. All in all, 'one to remember'.

UK 70.3 - Wimbleball

I have written a lot of words recently... About 50,000 to be more precise! I am saying this, in part, to account for the time it has taken to reflect on the race, but also because, for me, UK 70.3 Wimbleball was as much about the before and after as it was about the day. I have been blown away by people's belief in me and the support I have received during this year. Many wise words from Pete, family, friends, coaches, physios and tutors have kept me going with both my doctoral thesis and my training. Thanks to all these people I got to the start line in great shape, both physically and mentally and all I had to do was stay focused, stick to the process, and enjoy the opportunity to see what I could do.

Beginning at the end

Running around the corner onto the finish line I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry... I just couldn't believe it was finished and I couldn't quite believe I had won!!

The run was tough, much like the bike it was up, down, up, down and up, down some more. I went out of T2 way too quick... A combination of suddenly being cheered around the course and my legs feeling like they were still spinning at over 90rpm made it difficult to slow myself down. Settling into a rhythm, I found myself in first place midway through lap one. From this point on a combination of stubbornness, amazing support from competitors and spectators alike, and an underlying belief I could do it kept my legs ticking over and focused me on not letting any females pass. It wasn't pretty, it really hurt, but I got through it!

The bike, much like the run, was 'rolling' (by this I mean hilly, very hilly)!! Coming out the water, the rain began to set in. This made for a wet, hailstormy and gusty first lap. Across the top of the moor, the field gates were sending me sideways, whilst the hailstones smashed me on the head! I was playing a good cat and mouse with all the guys on the second half of the course. They would fly past on the descent, whilst I caught up on the ascent! I kept reminding myself it was not a sprint, and 90km was a long way. Ride composed, stay strong and keep eating. 

The nerves pre-swim were much worse than the swim itself. Being stronger and more skillful in the water is starting to make a difference and dare I say I quite enjoyed the swim in this race (first time for everything)! I swam well to the first buoy and had a good pack to work with. I finished strongly, which left me thinking could I go quicker? The answer is probably yes, but the swim was solid and created the base for what worked out to be a performance I am proud of and a performance I am excited to build on. I believe and hope there is so much more to come.

A huge thanks to Andy, I-Ride UK Powerbar, Huub, Thames Turbo and Everything but the Cow for believing in me and helping me achieve my goals. Super excited for the 70.3 World Age-Group Championships and exploring the Austrian mountains! For now it is back to training, working and staying fit and healthy to prepare as best as I can for the end of August and beyond.

 

 

Slateman - Take Two

Before I start I just wanted to thank Suzie Richards for her amazing blog.... Not only because she said such nice things about me, but also because it has kicked me into gear and got me writing my own report on 'Slaying the 'Slateman'!! Not only does she beat me across the finish line, but she also beats me to the blog post!! Anyways, now I have finished writing the thesis, I feel much more inspired to write a race report!

For those who don't want to read until the end, I will start with a handy Summary.....

Freezing lake, big Welsh mountain, head winds and a steep steep hill to run up. Swam as fast as I could just to get out quicker. Cold hands made for a less than average transition. Biked like a nutter, dug deep on the run and finished 2nd Female. Loved it!

For those who are more interested in the details...

I raced the Slateman last year and loved the race. It is fantastically well organised by Always Aim High events and set in beautiful (if a little hilly) Snowdonia. We arrived on the Friday and had a good final few days leading into the race. My taper went well and I felt relaxed and ready going into race day. I have had a really good winters training and was excited to try and put it to good use. The race is part of a series of three and there is a big incentive to do them all... Not just because they are set in beautiful scenery and are all challenging in different ways, but because the grand prize is well worth the effort!

I always arrive early and was feeling pretty nervous on race morning. It felt like it had been a long time since I had done a race with open water, probably because it had! I set about sorting transition and ran through transition so I could get an idea of where my bike was and what it felt like running from swim in, to bike out, to bike in and to run out! This is my normal pre-race routine... What wasn't so much was a quick interview with Dream team TV :) . It was nice to be asked and helpful for me to reflect on the race last year, my preparation and the race ahead. It also helped being more nervous in front of the camera than about the race, because it took my mind off it!

The time before the race went really quickly and next thing I knew our wave was being called into the lake.... "It is not cold, it is not cold, it is NOT COLD!!" We were off and I relaxed into a rhythm pretty quickly. For some reason, I couldn't find any feet and ended up doing much of the swim on my own. When I got to transition it was the first time I realised the swim had gone ok... As all the bikes near mine were still there! This is where the good news ended as I then spent the next minute and a half 'faffing' with my wetsuit, not getting my helmet done up and then jumping on my back wheel as I tried to mount my bike (if I knew how I managed that, it would be more impressive)! One of my worst transitions ever and having numb hands and feet does not work well for me!

Fuelled with the fact I had been bypassed by Suzie in transition (whose transition was impressively textbook) I knew the chase was on. I got my head down and rode as hard as I could the whole way round. I felt strong on the TT bike and stayed on the bars as much as I could. It was windy, very windy... But the course is fast and you can get into a great rhythm. I even had a moment of appreciating the Ogwen Valley and being reminded of how amazing it is to get to race in Snowdonia! Coming into T2 I knew I had rode well, but still had no idea where I was in the race. I managed to safely dismount my bike and decided to swing my arm around in a mad attempt to get some blood circulating to my numb hands. Helmet off, shoes on... Shoes on, can't get foot in, shoe's on finally and out I go onto the run.

I went off hard and whilst I was a little put out by the new 'extra hill' at the start of the run (thanks for that, but feel free to take out next year!), l soon had sight of Suzie. This made me continue to run hard and focus on staying tall. I made up some time and was soon within about 20 seconds... But then the zig-zags arrived! Whilst I managed to do them quicker than I did last year, so did Suzie. She was incredible up them and whilst I tried to chase, my early running was taking its toll and I was hurting! I wanted to make a race of it and kept running hard and attacking the descents for as long as I could, but as I neared the end of the run I realised I would have to settle for second again.

Was I disappointed? Yes.... But was I also delighted? Yes. I gave everything and made it into a race. Suzie was amazing and we were both faster than last year, which is all you can ask for. I know that Suzie has big plans this year, and onwards, and is clearly training hard and getting the results she deserves! It is fantastic to race against good athletes because it pushes me to be better! Most importantly it is great to catch up with Suzie, chat all things training and triathlon, and see someone who races with a smile on her face!

I left the beautiful Llanberis with a smile on my face and one thought 'I will be back!' Thank you to Always Aim High for the amazing event, the hospitality and the coverage of the races. I am also so fortunate to have an unbelievable amount of day to day support from Pete, his family watching on the day, and my family always! Thanks to Andy, I-Ride UK Powerbar, Huub, Thames Turbo and Everything but the Cow for believing in me and helping me achieve my goals. So excited for the rest of 2015!!

 

The 'fittest' hockey players make good triathletes.... Even if it is a drunken bet!

During my hockey playing days I was always described as the fit one, the one who ran lots (sometimes too much) and the one who was (I quote) always training! It seems that these traits fit into the triathlon world. In fact I train less, and still have a long way to go, before I reach the fitness of the many triathletes I have come across. The truth is I do love to train, I do like to run and I enjoy the opportunity to push myself physically. These things haven't changed from when I played hockey, but I was curious to know if other hockey players turned triathletes were the same... So I decided to ask!

I have been lucky enough to enlist the help of four talented athletes:

Kim Morrison: 

Twitter Name: @triathlonkim, Website: KimMorrison.TUMBLR.com, Coach: Perry Agass, Team: Tri-Anglia Triathlon Club

Sam Baxter:

Twitter name: sbaxter220 Website: www.teamfreespeed.com   Team/Coach: Team Freespeed/ Terence Collins

Parys Edwards:

Twitter name: @parysedwardstri Website: www.parysedwards.com                                                        Team/Coach: Tom Bennett at T2coaching

Ali Rowatt:

Twitter name: ali_rowatt    Team/Coach: Team Freespeed/Stirling Triathlon Club

Between them they have represented at county, regional and international levels in hockey. They have gone on to be talented triathletes, winning age group titles, qualifying for Kona and all aiming to compete at a high level. I wondered if it was coincidence that they have been successful in two sports and whether there are any common denominators or magic formulas. It seems that they are just talented people, who train hard, and know what it takes to be successful! 

I decided to ask them all a few questions about their hockey playing days and their triathlon exploits. I hope you enjoy the responses as much as I have. I am very grateful for their honesty, the helpful advice they give and the inspiration it has given me.

How long did you play hockey for? 

Kim: Started at School Under9s (Gresham’s School) right the way through to Loughborough Uni, then into the world of work I joined Chiswick then Teddington Hockey Club

Sam: 15 years

Parys: From when I was 10 years old until I was 30.

Ali: 15 years

Me: Like everyone else, I played hockey from a young age and played until I was 26.

What position did you play? 

Kim: Upfront, right wing. When I joined Teddington in 2012 I moved to left defender to mark my prefered position, coaches orders!

Sam: All over moving progressively backwards over the years 

Parys: I started as a midfielder, later became a striker and ended my career as half....by my last season at Leicester I was a supersub- put meOn anywhere!!!

Ali: Midfield, sometimes defence 

Me: I remember being called “Sniffer Seymour” at Maidstone for my goal scoring prowess as a youngster. From my international career you will see goal scoring was not a skill I held onto and I was much more suited to playing in midfield or defence.

What county/club/region or country did you play for? 

Kim:  Norfolk, Norwich Ladies, Loughborough University 2nds, Chiswick, Teddington

Sam: Bradford, Yorkshire, N-E England

Parys: I played Zimbabwe u18s, then switched allegiance after being selected for SAu21s. While in SA I played for Eastern Province and later Southern Gauteng. When I moved to the Uk I played for Leicester for 6seasons and returned to SA for our annual Interprovincial tournament to represent Natal for a few years.

Ali: West District/Western Ladies/Edinburgh Ladies/Giffnock/Scotland 

Me: Maidstone, Canterbury, England and Great Britain

Did you swim, bike or run before or whilst you played hockey?

Kim:  Nope although at school I swam in the school competitions

Sam: No

Parys: I loved running and was athletics and xcountry captain at school, but had never ridden a bike other then as a kid. I never swam as a youngster and my stepfather taught me enough not to drown when I was 8 (not much has changed since I fear!!), later I did a little bit of swimming as a last resort when I was injured- no wonder I had a negative association with it!!

Ali: Run and bike 

Me: When I was younger I used to swim and run... Following in my older sisters footsteps.

What is your best hockey memory or achievement? 

Kim:  Hockey Tour to Canada and South Africa, what an opportunity!

Sam: Winning Uni Tour

Parys: Getting selected for the SAu21 team for the JWC in Korea- I had really battled with injury in the build up and it looked like it would never happen so it was a great feeling to hear my name being called out in the squad.

Ali: Commonwealth Games 2006 

Me: World Cup 2010 - Argentina - Being part of the first female England squad to get a World Cup medal.

What do you miss? 

Kim: The team environment, social evening training sessions and the boozy side!

Sam: The Banter

Parys: Some of the team banter....oh and getting a perfect reverse stick shot on goal- always a sweet feeling!

Ali: Big tournaments 

Me: The team, big tournaments and the tactical side of the game.

What do you not miss? 

Kim: Sore fingers when playing in the cold!

Sam: Defending short corners and broken fingers 

Parys: The first 10mins of a training session in the dead of winter when your hands were so cold it felt like they would shatter as I hit the ball

Ali: Pitch sessions 

Me: I agree with everyone above... Although sore fingers on a bike in winter is just as bad!

When and Why did you start triathlon? 

Kim: September 2012 (although I took part at school a couple of times for fun when I was 16years old breaking the swim record for 400m). I read Chrissie Wellingtons book ‘life without limits’ on holiday in Thailand after Mum said… “do not read that darling otherwise you will start triathlon!”

Sam: In 2008 - It was a Drunken bet

Parys: In 2007 when I moved to London - I had always held a slight fascination with the sport and thought I might enjoy it

Ali: In 2008, It was a new challenge after giving up hockey 

Me: I wanted a new challenge and a way to keep fit whilst working and studying full time. I did some 10k runs and got a bike to commute on... So it seemed the next obvious step!

Favourite training session and best discipline  

Kim:  My favourite session is rolling 400s in the pool, I always amaze myself! My best discipline since investing in a new bike appears to be the bike this season (2014)

Sam: long winter bike with coffee stop is my favourite session and the bike is my best discipline 

Parys: love a tough intervals run session, especially with my current team mates Ness Raw and Tamsin Lewis as we all end up pushing each other, but if I'm honest nothin beats a long ride in the Surrey hills- that's an easy session for me to tick off especially if the sun is shining! The run was probably my best, but now the bike!

Ali: Interval run session is my favourite session and the run is my best discipline

Me: Running interval session - I like the pain and still feeling like I have some leg speed! The run is my best discipline, although the other two are catching up!

Best race

Kim: Kitzbuhel European AG Championships 2014

Sam: IMUK 2012

Parys: 70.3 world champs in Vegas in 2012- my first big win and I exceeded my expectations!

Ali: Ironman 70.3 World Championships Clearwater 2010

Me: Slateman 2014

What do you like about triathlon? 

Kim: Hard work/ dedication/ hurt/ pain… I love it all!

Sam: Pushing myself

Parys: Its such a unique challenge- each discipline has it's own demands which I love. Also there is a fantastic camaraderie in the sport.

Ali:The challenge

Me: The challenge of always having something to improve on in each discipline.

What don't you like about triathlon? 

Kim: Swim starts, how on earth are they ever fun!

Sam: Obsessive triathlon chat and forums 

Parys: The swim!!!

Ali:Long training hours

Me: Packing - there is so much kit to organise and bike mechanics/preparation.... Always get someone else to do it! The bike mechanics... NOT the packing!

What do you think makes a successful triathlete? 

Kim: Consistency

Sam: Commitment, selfishness and single minded attitude 

Parys: An ability to endure pain.

Ali:Dedication

Me: I think being physically robust is key to managing the training load and believing in the hard work on race day.

Which sport is more kit obsessed? 

Kim: Triathlon for sure

Sam: Triathlon

Parys: Triathlon- it's a no brainer!! ( it's also vastly more expensive!!)

Ali: Triathlon

Me: I agree that triathletes are kit obsessed, but I know many a hockey player who were very fussy about their stick!

Were you always described as the fittest in hockey? 

Kim: Yes, bambi was my nick name… I think it was the way I ran being one of the tallest on the pitch!

Sam: No

Parys: Yup- always the last one running on the good 'ol bleep test!

Ali: Yes

Me: As with the girls, I too based my hockey career on being able to run! Even if you lack the skills you can always run out of trouble, run out the way or run back to make a tackle!!!

Do you have any of the same superstitions pre race as you did pre match? 

Kim: Nope none, completely different feeling. I was much more relaxed before a game of hockey. But I think that may be due to the standard I was playing. I had ambitions to play national league but triathlon took over when I was on the cusp!

Sam: Never put my playing/race top on until just before the start 

Parys: I always memorise a race verse (from the bible) that I think about when I'm racing and I used to write one out and tape it to my shin pad for every hockey game. It's my way if keeping my sport in perspective.

Ali: No

Me: I always pack the night before, always arrive early and write little notes on my hand.... Normally a reminder to relax and smile!

 

Snow or sand? 

Kim: SNOW

Sam: Snow

Parys: Sand

Ali: Sand

Me: Sand

Training or racing? 

Kim: Racing

Sam: Racing

Parys:Training

Ali:Racing

Me: Training

Mornings or evenings? 

Kim: Mornings

Sam: Mornings

Parys:Evenings

Ali:Mornings

Me: Mornings

Coffee or tea? 

Kim: Coffee

Sam: Coffee

Parys:Coffee

Ali: Coffee

Me: all together now.... COFFEE

Beer or wine? 

Kim: Wine (tinto only)

Sam: Both

Parys:Wine

Ali:Wine

Me: Wine

Book or film? 

Kim: Neither

Sam: Film

Parys: Book

Ali: Film

Me: Book

Winter or summer? 

Kim: Winter

Sam: Either, just not rain

Parys: Summer all the way

Ali: Summer

Me: Winter

Starter or dessert? 

Kim: Both… I absolutely love food and will never be thin!

Sam: Both

Parys: Desert

Ali: Starter

Me: Starter

Favourite sporting moment you have seen/watched 

Kim: Athletics (track) always gets me, especially Mo at London 2012. I always get a tear when I see these athletes perform at such a level, inspiring!

Sam: Andy Murray winning Wimbeldon 

Parys: I was fortunate to see lots of the London Olympic Games, it was incredible especially the athletics and so was seeing a few of my Leicester team mates win the Bronze medal.

Ali: Finishline at Hawaii Ironman at midnight 

Me: Being part of London 2012.... An incredible few weeks experiencing every emotion possible and being truly inspired by all the incredible Team GB performances. Particular highlight was shouting at a TV screen as Mo smashed the 5,000m race

Future goals/ambitions in triathlon: 

Kim: I was once told… ‘sky is the limit for you’ by Michelle Dillon and that is what I am sticking with!

Sam: AG Kona podium 

Parys: After winning the world champs again last year I secured sponsorship and I'm racing pro this year. It's been an interesting journey so far and I've finished third in my first 2 races and I'd love to keep getting on the podium for the rest of them.

Ali: Win AG in Hawaii Ironman 

Me: Reaching my potential 

Interesting fact people do not know about you: 

Kim: I spent my younger years at Great Ormond’s Street Children’s hospital undergoing complex heart surgery.

Sam: I turned down a place in 1D 

Parys: I have an identical twin sister and when we were 21 we played hockey against each other for different countries - her playing for Zimbabwe and me representing SA. I spent most of the game worried she would get hurt (SA won 7-1 I think)

Ali: I played tennis at Wimbledon when I was young…. I was very young and it was an exhibition of "short tennis" with plastic racquet and sponge ball

Me: I'm left handed..... No excuses for anyone who says this is why they can't play hockey!!

And finally.....

It is not uncommon for people to take up different sports, or move across to a related sport. In fact we see very successful transitions and examples in sport all the time. People seem surprised at how hockey and triathlon are related, but the people I spoke to seem to share some common traits. Apart from all liking coffee, they all played sport from an early age, they all have big goals and ambitions and they all commented on the mentality needed to be a successful triathlete. Hockey is dynamic, quick and a game that lasts 70 minutes. This is bound to contribute to the physical capabilities. Having said that, the training is hugely different, and like the others I could not successfully play hockey now. Im not quick enough and the stop, start, change direction would kill me!

It has been great to reflect on my hockey playing days and hear about other people's experiences of dedicating themselves to a new sport. I will follow their progress and can't wait to see all the success they will have in the future!

EBTC - Dairy Free Goodness

I am delighted to be an ambassador for a new soya and fruit drink. Being all natural, a balanced blend of carbs and protein, and full of fruity vitamins it is a tasty addition to my nutrition. Check out their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for updates! https://www.facebook.com/EverythingButTheCow  

My Fridge has never looked better!

Everything But The Cow is a new company that is run by determined and talented women, who turned an idea into a reality. It is therefore an exciting time to be involved. I am also honoured to join two other fantastic sporting females.... Check them both out here:

https://www.takeonachallenge.co.uk 

https://www.facebook.com/lucydenvercoaching

I am looking forward to being inspired by everyone involved, learning lots, and being part of the journey! 

It's all about the support crew!

Typing this blog with my non-dominant hand has been a bit of a challenge! Being injured has meant I have had lots of time to think and I have been very up and down. What finally got me back to wanting to write was an email from a hockey friend. She updated me on what she had been up to, but also reminded me to keep my blog updated! It made me realise that when others tell you about what they have been up to, it seems to make you want to get going yourself.

I have been out of action now for over four weeks, probably the longest time I have ever had off training! I am disappointed not to be racing for the rest of the season, after crashing at the race in Windsor. I was in good shape physically and felt confident in all the hard work I had put in over the winter. Now I have to remind myself the hard work hasn't disappeared, it is just currently on pause! I have had to have surgery on a broken collarbone, but I am now fully reinforced with a metal plate and screws! I am ready to move forward on the journey through rehab. I have been bored at times, but had more time for my studies, so it is not all bad. I have also been reminded how much I love to train and therefore feel even more motivated to get back to it.

It's times like this that you feel even more grateful for the people around you. I can't thank people enough for the support, the best wishes, the extra pairs of hands and the belief in me to recover. I know I will be drawing on this a lot over the next few months. Triathlon is an individual sport, but in many ways, I am learning that it is all about having the right people supporting you... Especially when you are injured!

My coach has listened, reassured and helped me plan. Other athletes have drawn on their experiences and given me some brilliant advice. Most importantly,  friends and family have been there to put things in perspective and remind me of what's important.

Over the next few months I will be reminding myself of this feeling and I will work hard to get myself back to places like this!!

Taking it step by step and day by day.

'Wing Building' British Super Series - Blenheim

A little rhyme to reflect on my first elite race.....Blenheim was a great course in beautiful scenery. Well done to everyone who raced, the experience has made me excited for the rest of the season and Finishing 10th was a good start! I am really enjoying the opportunity to race at this level. 

Build up week took forever, taking it day by day

Rather be training hard and long... But staying disciplined on my taper

It never really hit me, until I was at the start

The fact I was in an elite wave and I wanted to make a mark

I felt the nerves and anticipation too, but I was ready to go, even though I was new

Swim, we were off, I couldn't find a rhythm

Hitting all the wrong lines, feeling lost, didn't make a decision

So I came into T1, a long way back... Out onto the bike to hunt for a pack

Up a few hills feeling so strong, so glad to find help, it didn't take long

Pushed the bike with @susie_richards, we couldn't of been working harder

Each sharing the work, as we went on, steadily getting  faster

Reaching lap three we caught @loufoxtri, good to have more in the pack

Such a good bike, we had worked our way up, and now we could all try get back

End was in sight and the gaps they were small, into T2, stay strong and run tall

Rhythm was there, plenty to chase

It was good to work hard, to try keep the pace

End of lap one I tried to get clear, run strong and run tall, there's nothing to fear

Still running with Lou, still feeling the pain

But not giving in, still lots to gain

Little by little, we moved up the race, passed a few more, still more to chase

End was in sight, I had nothing more left

No response to the sprint, I needed a rest

How much I have learnt and need to review. Windsor up next, I'm no longer new

Enjoyed the bike, I loved the run. Onwards and upwards, but keep having fun

I wanted to say, big thanks to my coach, for the plan and the calm, structured approach

My race it was tough, I was put to the test, such a good experience, racing some of the best.

 

Big thank you for all my support from I-Ride, Huub, Powerbar, CurraNZ and Compress Sport. Through training and on race day it is massively appreciated!!

Bring on Windsor!!

Slateman 2014

A different kind of race... A different kind of report! 

First up... Big Congratulations to Suzie Richards (@suzie_richards) for the win and great to share the podium with the legendary Jane Hansom (@janehansom) just a week after she won Mallorca 70.3! Great to meet you both and good luck for the rest of the season.

Some photos, anecdotes, links and more.... Why I loved the race, why everyone should do the Slateman and why I would do it again;

1) Before the race you tell people what it entails and they think you are mad! http://snowdoniaslateman.com/content/route-information-0

2) After the race you tell them what it was like and they are impressed.... But still think you are mad!

3) You can enjoy the scenery (in between trying to breathe!) 

4) You can say 'I cycled up a mountain!'

5) The downhills are super fun.

6) A race where you can use all your gears.. One end to the other. I was loving my Ultegra 11-speed.

7) You check BBC weather religiously praying for the lake to warm up.

8) Nothing prepares you for the cold lake.

9) You will realise you can cycle into a headwind, up a hill and still be moving forwards.... JUST.

10) It defy's nature as there is a headwind the whole way round!!

11) There are times that someone is walking quicker than you are running.

12) The scenery is beautiful... Did I say that already?

12) You can practice your Welsh.

13) Jones O'Gymru crisps are awesome recovery.   http://www.jonesogymru.com

14) It is a true test of the hard winter training.

15) If you can get through it, you can do anything.

16) You cross the line and can't quite work out what just happened?!

17) Give 'Llanberissonians' a Chain Reactions 'cow bell' and they form the perfect cheer squad. 

18) There are plenty of pain face photos from the race

19) You have a good chance of being on TV (Sunday 7th July, Channel 4)

20)It will confirm that it is always worth doing something you are scared of.

21) You can hold it against the person who persuaded you to do it!!

22) You get a 'welsh slate' coaster for completion... The same welsh slate you just ran up.

In short.... I had a great day. I swam well, biked solidly and ran strong. Most importantly I gained belief through the experience and finished 2nd female and 46th overall. There were technical areas through transition that could be improved, but on the day I raced hard and was smiling.... Well on the inside at least!!

Thank you for the super light Argon18 Gallium, Fulcrum racing speed wheels and Catlike Aero Helmet from I-ride, so glad for them on a hilly, windy course!

Https://www.i-ride.co.uk

Thanks @peeestu and @ttirideraceteam manager @richnewey for the company.... It is the kind of race that is always better to share.

I would recommend any Always Aim High Events: http://alwaysaimhighevents.com Well organised, challenging and fantastically supported!  

British University Championships - Sprint

Yes.... I might be old for a student but entry to this race, for two years running, is one of the few perks of doing a Doctorate... The essay deadline this week, however, was not!

NERVES are a funny thing. I tend to enjoy the nerves and anticipation on race day, but it is pretty hard to stay calm and relaxed, when you are waiting until 3pm to get going. This year felt very different. Last year was my first triathlon and I felt completely out of my depth. The sense of the unknown was terrifying, but the novelty of the event was exciting and I knew I had nothing to loose. This year I had more expectations and I wanted to show the improvement I had seen in training. I knew if I could stay relaxed and trust the hard work, I would be ok. In any situation it is hard to tolerate uncertainty... And race day is no exception. The one thing I can do is give everything I can on the day and see what happens!

SWIM.... 30 lengths, 6 lanes, four waves.  By two lengths I had caught the girl who had gone off 10 seconds ahead. Hoping I hadn't gone too hard too soon, I kept relaxed and just focused on strong and smooth. I felt good in the water, but by 350m I was taken by the boy who started 20 seconds back. When he passed I was determined not to lose him and I found a change of gear. I achieved a big swim PB of 10.15 (750m)...I was up and running!

TRANSITION ... Oh dear transition!! I would prefer not to talk about it, but, I guess it's all good for the learning! I think I let my excitement get the better of me and everything was way too frantic. In T1, I was quick with the helmet and getting my bike out and all seemed fine. It was a long run to the mount line, however, and next thing I knew, was one of my bike shoes came out my cleat. I put it on my foot and ran to the mount line. I managed to successfully jump on with one shoe on one foot and the other foot being placed neatly into the shoe on my bike.... Phew!! Messy, but I was still in one piece and managed to avoid anything too catastrophic.

BIKE started well and I worked hard out of transition. The new Argon18 felt great with a tail wind and I was trying to establish some rhythm. Although I felt physically strong on the bike, there were many elements I was disappointed with. I was not smart on the hill and got my gear selection completely wrong. I also felt my lack of time on the new bike showed in my cornering and handling. I still did enough to hold position with a time of 43.27 (25k), but I hope that I can build on the more technical elements of the bike leg.

WELL.... I thought things couldn't get much worse than T1... But they did! Safely off my bike before the dismount line and running, bike in hand! There was a speed bump and I now realise that I should have listened to my driving instructor all those years ago.... He once told me "speed bumps are for slowing down, not for taking off!!" I hit it a bit hard and, indeed, took off! Ending up in a heap over my bike, a shoe flying off, chain coming off and a leg full of cuts and bruises, I had no idea what had happened. All I knew was I was getting up, collecting my shoe and running as fast as I could out onto the run.... Time to make up some time!

RUN RUN RUN.... As fast as I could out of T2, fuelled by a less than pretty transition and a focus to hit the 1st km as hard as I could. I ran the best 5k off the bike I think I have ever run. I was so pleased to see the time of 18.12 when I finished. I had nothing left at the end of the race and that is exactly how I wanted it to be. 

I'm delighted with the start to the season, finishing 8th and over 4 minutes quicker than last year. It was a good marker of where I am at and also where I want to work towards... Onwards and upwards I hope!! 

Training to Race

British Elite Duathlon

At the end of last year I sat down with my coach and reviewed the season.  The review was an opportunity to set new goals and decide where I wanted to take this season. It feels like October was a long time ago, but this weekend was a big step towards achieving my goals…. Racing my first Elite race!

I decided I wanted to race in Elite waves to stretch and challenge myself. I knew it would be tough and take a lot of hard work. The best thing about Sunday was that after I finished the race, I felt just like I did after my first triathlon last May….. Excited that I still had so much to learn and motivated to go away and try to improve.

So Elite racing is seriously fast and furious when you are new. There is no let up and you really need to be concentrating from start to finish. It all went very quickly, but I have tried to reflect on my race plan and see where I performed well and where I need to make changes to perform better.

On the first run, I got myself in the lead pack and felt good for the first 2kms. I knew I would need to head out hard and then try to hang on to the run speed for as long as possible. It was a case of not thinking too far ahead and just trying to run as fast a 5km as I could to get in a pack on the bike. I am getting faster and stronger in my running and the work from training is really beginning to show.

Out of transition and onto my bike. This was the first race I have jumped on my bike and done the very technical 'elastic band shoe trick' (yes, I know it has taken me way too long to do this in races, and it is not as technical and difficult as I am making it out!!) Nevertheless I was pleased to get on safely and get my feet in my shoes first time. I would have been a tad mortified if it had all gone horribly wrong and I would have ended up in a heap with my bike on top of me (this would not be the first time!).  I was momentarily on my own, so decided to wait for a couple of people from behind me. I maybe waited too long, but it was good to be in a group and try to get working.  We were eventually caught by a larger group from behind, but I then managed to stay in this group. I was trying to work in the group, but my legs weren’t responding well to all the pace changes and I was still finding my way with cornering in a group. I had to work hard out of corners and was not always in the right gear. It was great to be in this group though, because we eventually caught the main pack and all came into transition together.  I kept saying to myself to get near the front, but trying to get my feet out my shoes and negotiate a path to transition was taking more of a priority!

T2 was a case of trainers still tight from my first run and grappling to get them on! I tried to stay calm, tell myself don’t panic and get out onto the last 2.5k run. I had the leg speed there and hit it hard out of T2. I gave everything in the last run, my calves were cramping up and I did get a bit too tense in the shoulders, but all in all I could not have done anymore.

This was an amazing day and I had a lot of fun. Thank you to my fantastic support crew Pete, Mum, Chrissie and Paul… not to mention all the messages and phone calls from my sisters Alison and Louisa. I have had many lovely comments on Twitter and Facebook and I really appreciate all the positive vibes.

This race was a solid start to the season. I am ready to build on this performance and learn from it. It is a privilege to race against so many talented athletes, not to mention be part of Thames Turbo and the Thames Turbo I-Ride Race team. Seeing the Youths and juniors putting in such great performances and watching  the men’s race at the end of the day was very inspiring. 

Big Congratulations to Eliza Cottington, Jess Wenlock, Izzy Chant, Harry Winter, Jack Macfarlane, Tom Higgins, Chris Carter and Pavan Rooprai who all did the club proud!! 

 

Race Day - F3 events Duathlon

This week in lectures, our lecturer said "quite possibly, you will like it and not like it, and perhaps, that is exactly how it should be"

This has stuck in my mind since then, it is so simple, yet I think it can be applied to so many things in our lives. I'm using it today, because it fits. There are many things in training and racing that I like and don't like and today was no exception. I mean, you feel pain, elation, fatigue, proud, anxious, strong and weak all at the same time. If however, you can try to realise and accept those things, and appreciate that is exactly how it should be, it soon makes it easier to perform and value the day for what it is. I guess it is what I love about sport!

So.... Enough philosophical thought and more about the race! I went into today to lay down a marker for the season, prepare for the elite duathlon and also do my first brick session of the year! I was confident in my winter training, but had the same pre-race nerves and doubts as always. For me, it doesn't matter what race it is, or how important and big it may seem, I know I will feel, and need, some nerves! I always feel better after a good blow out, because it reminds me you can push hard, keep pushing hard and then try push a little bit harder, and still be ok!

I was racing with lots of Thames Turbo athletes and me and the other @ttirideraceteam member Jack Macfarlane (@jackmacfarlane) won the female and male races respectively. Racing with club and team mates pushes me on and I tried to encourage them whenever I could. It was great to see the club so well represented!

Run speed is back with me after some short interval treadmill sessions in training. The cadence work is coming into its own and I enjoyed having the legs moving quickly. I struggled to keep up with the speed my legs were going when I came off the bike! It was a shock to the system as I haven't done any brick work yet. I'm looking forward to building some longer run intervals and brick sessions into my training.

The bike leg felt super smooth today and I loved being back on my race bike. I kept a consistent effort and it just seemed to work. I can't really describe or recall how the laps went by on the bike. I guess in a sprint, you can just get in a rhythm. Today, I was just there, doing it and enjoying the race!

Now those bits of it that I didn't like (exactly as it should be be)! My transitions were some of my worst and whilst they should be rusty at this stage of the season, they confirmed the need for some structured time spent practising.  Transition is one of those things I keep telling my coach (@andybtricoach) I will practice, but I get to the end of the week and I still haven't put it in my plan. It is a small part of the race, but it is going to be crucial for me this year. So the plan is to be practising jumping on my bike twice a week. I need to be prepared for bruises, failed attempts and lots of learning by doing! 

The last run is a mixture of likes and don't likes! It hurts (a lot), but there is something I quite like about that. I just tell myself to try not let anyone pass, to run hard, and know that I'm close enough to the finish to hold on. I couldn't of given anymore today, I liked a lot, I didn't like a bit and that is exactly the way it should be!

2014 - An exciting year ahead

This is a photo of a Christmas present from my older (and clearly wiser!) sister. It has stayed with me for many reasons and inspires me every time I read it. Everyone has dreams and goals, they motivate us and give us direction. I tend to set goals that challenge me and help me learn. I chased and realised many dreams in my hockey career and I am ready to do the same in triathlon. For me,  the dream or goal is not the end point, it is just an opportunity to reflect on success, build on what you have learnt and see where the journey takes you next! 

So..... What are the dreams this year??? 

1) Slateman - a Welsh lake in May (cold), a mountain pass in Snowdon (steep) and a trail run (tough)! This race is all about the mental challenge and will be a great way to kick start my season. 

2) Elite Super Series - Racing in the elite super series has been a goal that has motivated me to continue to build on last years improvements and train hard over the winter. It will stretch me and be a huge learning experience. I know it will be a challenge, but I am excited to make the next step. With a season behind me I feel confident in my ability and have decided I would rather give it a go and see what happens..... Than always wonder 'what if?' 

3) Race my first half marathon by the end of 2014 

All I need to do now is stick to the process, keep my training consistent and stay motivated!