I've travelled many mental miles to be where I am today, I've also travelled many physical miles to race this season, with many more to come. But nothing could quite top this! Not even a drive through the autobahn's of Germany and the Austrian Tyrol for the Europeans next month. That's comfortably planned to military precision. This was different a day like no other.
Starting out as a normal work day, or at least one where I have my bimonthly commute to Aberdeen and back by rail, I was about to embark quite literally the length of the country to be on the start line of the British Triathlon National Sprint Championships. At Eton Dornay nr Windsor. A beautiful regatta lake used for The Olympics on the outskirts of a small village called London.
The Journey from Newcastle to Aberdeen for a two hour meeting, is one that takes some five hours! work that out for yourself. A return journey that requires me to stay on the train to Stevenage and adding an extra 2.5 to the total. Twelve and a half hours on the East Coast Mainline travelling through some of the most beautiful countryside in the country, finds me here..... Sat writing this post in York. Charlotte and Freya already at my ultimate destination with my Dassi DRC and new race kit that I am beginning to start to feel all so familiar with now. All ready to go now and be put to the test in the highest quality of all the fields I'm likely to race in this season. Many of whom are friends I've made over the last few years racing alongside and against each other.
That is a lot of thinking time. A lot of time to get myself in the right frame of mind, and also a lot of time to ponder over my readiness. It seems like a long season already with some great races in the bag and some minor set backs. Some fantastic times set and previous bests smashed.
I'm comfortable, I'm happy with where I am at right now and I'm just starting to find my legs for some big challenges ahead when I turn my attentions to some longer distance racing to close the season off with.
I had a cracking race this time last year, I was at my peak when it mattered delivered there right on time by Elliot! We couldn't have planned it any better to win and come away with the British Championships, holding it at the same time as I had the European medal from Isreal.
This year is going to be harder. I'm going in to the race as reigning champion and there are some amazingly fast athletes going to be there. Athletes who have become friends. But for the hour we are racing tomorrow lunchtime, we will all be enemies! With one goal in mind!!! That one chance to put it all together and hurt like we have never hurt before.
I say this at every race, but every race gets harder. You leave everything out there and turn yourself inside out! Pain is only temporary after all.
It's time to visualise and get out there and do it!
All that is left to say is a big thank you to some fantastic people, to ERDINGER Alkoholfrei, being a part of a fantastic successful team is such a motivating factor to be the best I can.
Stuart and the team at Dassi for my bikes, Donal and Len at Elivar Sports nutrition, Beth at Sigvaris compression, Laura and Louise at Natural Hero for giving my legs a ginger hug, everyone at Flahavans for feeding me, Martin and the team at AquaSphere for keeping me buoyant in the water, and Tony and Dave at A1 Multisport for all the support they have given me.
Most of all to Lisa for keeping me conditioned and getting me through that injury over the winter, be it with her vice like grip, her sharpened elbows and the needles she bent on my thighs! Elliot for supporting me and coaching me through everything he has done. Not just a coach but a friend and someone that does not take no for an answer.
And Charlotte and Freya. My world for supporting me in everything I do.
Good luck to everyone that is racing tomorrow! I'm looking forward to catching up with a lot of friends.