Spring is here.

This post may be a bit early but after being sunburnt this weekend i am going to claim Spring is here!

Spring is a strange time for me, it's when i actually have to think about racing again. For the past few months it has just been solid training and testing but now I need to really think about the upcoming season, my goals, the races i want to do and where i will be.

I have entered 4 races so far, 3 being big ones and one a warm up event in Cornwall. I'll be posting a full race schedule soon here on my blog. The big races are GB age group qualifiers where i hope i can place well but also see how i do up against a more competitive field. I want to see where i stand within that and how i can place.

As well as the big races i will do smaller local races as much as possible, i need more race experience and just to practice things like open water swimming, transitions and pacing on the bike. I'm doing a mixture of sprint and Olympic distance this year not solely focusing on one distance. I really like that, that my events will be a little different and involve different strategies.

Training wise things are going well, i had a slight ankle injury which faded soon enough but apart from that physically i am in good shape. I've had a bit of a tough time mentally with a few situations and being my final year of University but I'm just trying to clear my head and focus on training hard and producing the numbers. The intensity is definitely increasing as are the hours but I'm building up a solid base and getting a bit quicker!

In about a month i will also be heading to Barcelona with coach Graeme and a few other guys for a training camp. This is something i was undecided about but definitely glad i eventually booked onto. I think a week of solid training, sunshine, focus and having my coach there will set me up perfectly for the season. I cant wait to get out there and just eat,sleep and train. It will also be good to train with stronger guys and really push myself.

I'm really excited that Spring is here, i can't wait to race again although i am naturally nervous as it has been a long time. I still have a lot of work to do before i get to the first start line of the season so i'll leave this here.

Thanks for reading and here are a couple of photos of recent training.
1. Dartmoor proved good that day.
2. Training partner Ian enjoying the Cornish sunshine
3. Scottish colours.