Only on Tuesday this week I was reminded by a good friend of mine Phil Cowley, someone who I have only met over the last year, that it was a year ago to the date that we were over in Israel, pulling on our blue trisuits for the first time representing GB at the Sprint Triathlon European Championships.
What a trip and what a year!!!
Those of you who have followed my blog over the last year will know about the trip from previous posts and all about my journey since, so I will not re cover old ground, what I will hi lite though is how things have changed so much since then. Not only in Triathlon, and how what initially started out as a little bit of fun keeping up with something a couple of friends of mine had done, but also in work through changing jobs, and most importantly family, and how Freya is rapidly growing up right before our eyes and becoming her own little personality. My greatest little fan who still follows me to every race I do,and my own lucky charm.
I must admit, and I've said it before, it truly has been the best year of my life.
What a trip and what a year!!!
Those of you who have followed my blog over the last year will know about the trip from previous posts and all about my journey since, so I will not re cover old ground, what I will hi lite though is how things have changed so much since then. Not only in Triathlon, and how what initially started out as a little bit of fun keeping up with something a couple of friends of mine had done, but also in work through changing jobs, and most importantly family, and how Freya is rapidly growing up right before our eyes and becoming her own little personality. My greatest little fan who still follows me to every race I do,and my own lucky charm.
I must admit, and I've said it before, it truly has been the best year of my life.
This year however, a year to the date, my feelings couldn't have been further away from how I had felt 365 days ago.
The North East Multisport season saw the addition of a new event this year, on the back of the cancellation of the Stockton Triathlon Festival due to water quality issues. The Stockton Duathlon standard race was to be my first A race of the season due to the prize money attached, £500 for first, £300 for second and £200 for third place would be lovely. I was going into this race with form. My previous Duathlon races in the North East had been 3rd, 2nd, 1st and 2nd with other strong performances in bike time trials thrown in for good measure, so I was fairly confident, I knew where the win was coming from but that left other slots available and the field was one which I had raced on a number of occasions this season and faired extremely well.
Preparation started as usual, Saturday consisted of a turbo training session as usual to get the legs going before breakfast which allowed me to spend the rest of the day relaxing and doing 'normal' stuff with the girls. We went up to Northumberland for a relaxing walk around a National Trust park with a picnic and popped over to see some of the Team who were racing in the Hilly 21mile Time Trial just around the corner. Couldn't have been anymore relaxing really.
I'm not to sure.
After an early one, Saturday night saw me spending most of the little hours hugging the toilet seat with unbelievable gastric problems which saw me emptying the contents of both my stomach and bowels. I felt like death.
I managed to get back to sleep and Charlotte asked what I was going to do. Rightly or wrongly I chose to race. But after a discussion with Elliot before he off, we changed the plan. The plan was to get through the first 10km run and work the legs on the bike. Then I was to stop. Take my helmet off and remove my number.
The North East Multisport season saw the addition of a new event this year, on the back of the cancellation of the Stockton Triathlon Festival due to water quality issues. The Stockton Duathlon standard race was to be my first A race of the season due to the prize money attached, £500 for first, £300 for second and £200 for third place would be lovely. I was going into this race with form. My previous Duathlon races in the North East had been 3rd, 2nd, 1st and 2nd with other strong performances in bike time trials thrown in for good measure, so I was fairly confident, I knew where the win was coming from but that left other slots available and the field was one which I had raced on a number of occasions this season and faired extremely well.
Preparation started as usual, Saturday consisted of a turbo training session as usual to get the legs going before breakfast which allowed me to spend the rest of the day relaxing and doing 'normal' stuff with the girls. We went up to Northumberland for a relaxing walk around a National Trust park with a picnic and popped over to see some of the Team who were racing in the Hilly 21mile Time Trial just around the corner. Couldn't have been anymore relaxing really.
I'm not to sure.
After an early one, Saturday night saw me spending most of the little hours hugging the toilet seat with unbelievable gastric problems which saw me emptying the contents of both my stomach and bowels. I felt like death.
I managed to get back to sleep and Charlotte asked what I was going to do. Rightly or wrongly I chose to race. But after a discussion with Elliot before he off, we changed the plan. The plan was to get through the first 10km run and work the legs on the bike. Then I was to stop. Take my helmet off and remove my number.
Lining up on the start line, I was about as ready to go as I usually was and hadn't been on the loo for some time, so the medication seemed to be working. But I sharply realised there was nothing there, nothing left in the tank, nothing in the legs, for the run at least.
Now for the first time I've not studied the complete breakdown in results because I don't need figures to explain to me what had gone wrong. I knew. I came in from the run in around 20th place after a long uncomfortable. I couldn't keep pace with the guys I am usually either up with of slightly ahead of. I was grateful to come in to T1, but I had begun to feel reasonable. I knew I had the bike ahead of me, my strength, my opportunity to at least go out on a high before I was to end my participation in the race. Crying to myself "let's have fun" as I left transition.
I did just that. The route was stop start and 6 laps of a winding circuit. But I started to pick off the guys ahead of me and could see at every turn that I was closing up gaps. I must have ridden well returning to T2 in around 6th place.
Kerry and Tony were standing by my bike expecting me to stop as I indicated I was heading out on the final run. 5km of hell. I've never had a DNF and my opinion of those letters is do not fail! I immediately regained that feeling I had on the first 10km.
Elliot seemed to be at every spot of the run course, probably running more of it than I had zigzagging to meet me at the next point offering me a drink or a gel. But the final mile he indicated for me to jog. Reign it into recovery pace and don't loose my cool as people pass. I was going to Do more damage if I continued which would be more of a mountain to come back from.
I was re taken by 7 or so athletes and crossed the line back in 14th place. Granted, given the circumstances it is a respectable position, one which a lot of people would love to reach, however, from the efforts I have put in in my training and my ambition, the whe weekend was a low point.
Now for the first time I've not studied the complete breakdown in results because I don't need figures to explain to me what had gone wrong. I knew. I came in from the run in around 20th place after a long uncomfortable. I couldn't keep pace with the guys I am usually either up with of slightly ahead of. I was grateful to come in to T1, but I had begun to feel reasonable. I knew I had the bike ahead of me, my strength, my opportunity to at least go out on a high before I was to end my participation in the race. Crying to myself "let's have fun" as I left transition.
I did just that. The route was stop start and 6 laps of a winding circuit. But I started to pick off the guys ahead of me and could see at every turn that I was closing up gaps. I must have ridden well returning to T2 in around 6th place.
Kerry and Tony were standing by my bike expecting me to stop as I indicated I was heading out on the final run. 5km of hell. I've never had a DNF and my opinion of those letters is do not fail! I immediately regained that feeling I had on the first 10km.
Elliot seemed to be at every spot of the run course, probably running more of it than I had zigzagging to meet me at the next point offering me a drink or a gel. But the final mile he indicated for me to jog. Reign it into recovery pace and don't loose my cool as people pass. I was going to Do more damage if I continued which would be more of a mountain to come back from.
I was re taken by 7 or so athletes and crossed the line back in 14th place. Granted, given the circumstances it is a respectable position, one which a lot of people would love to reach, however, from the efforts I have put in in my training and my ambition, the whe weekend was a low point.
You know by now, my personality is positive. I don't dwell on this, I learn from it. I take the positives out of it not look at what has gone wrong. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that. I needed to get back on track as soon as possible. Listening to my body over the next couple of days, strengthen myself up again. Beginning with a turbo spin on Monday and a massage. This should lead nicely to a course of days rest. But I've turned the corner. I feel great as if nothing had happened, and the last two days I've been back on track. Next stop is Durham Duathlon on Sunday before my Tri season begins.......
I want to thank every one of the organisers, marshalls, spectators and most of all other athletes who know me for your concerns. Knowing something was not wrong and encouraging me all the way round. To be honest I wouldn't have even climbed on the bike without this support.
Most of all thanks go to Kerry, Tony & Dave (a1multisport), mam and dad, Charlotte, but most of all Elliot for guiding me round.
I want to thank every one of the organisers, marshalls, spectators and most of all other athletes who know me for your concerns. Knowing something was not wrong and encouraging me all the way round. To be honest I wouldn't have even climbed on the bike without this support.
Most of all thanks go to Kerry, Tony & Dave (a1multisport), mam and dad, Charlotte, but most of all Elliot for guiding me round.