World Championships Edmonton part 2.

Olympic Distance World Championships

Position 40th.

Swim 1500m- 23:03
Bike 40km- 1:08 (with a puncture)
Run 10km- 35:59

This race will probably haunt my dreams for many years to come and has took me quite a while to get over but I feel I should still write a summary of how it went!

Despite having a hard race two days before i was actually feeling really good. I had completely recovered from the Sprint and was looking forward to the longer distance and a tough day out. Once again i knew the course well and knew it suited me. Another chance to represent my country two days after i had done the same thing was extremely exciting!

The swim start was a lot more chaotic than the Sprint, in all honesty it was a total mess. There were bodies, arms and legs everywhere at the start but i just really tried hard to stay calm and push on. Things settled a bit after the first lap and i was beginning to feel good and almost enjoy the swim. One thing i has realised this year is I love racing, I love being part of it, pushing myself to the limit and racing other around me. After a decent swim i came out the water with the crowds shouting us on and again into transition.

It was really cold on race day, i believe it was below 10 degrees and despite the water being warm the air temperature really hit me in transition and i struggled a bit to get my things together! However soon enough i was out onto the bike ready to get to work.

The bike course was rapid, the first uphill and downhill i was taking seriously quick trying to warm myself up and get the legs going. Up the second hill and i catching some guys and then...shit. When you cycle a lot you can immediately feel when something is wrong. You just know it, the bike performs completely differently. And that's when i knew, at 4km into the bike course i had a puncture. My rear back tyre was gone completely.

I'm not exactly sure of my first thoughts, a lot went on in my head, swearing, disappointment, utter panic everything. But never did it cross my mind to stop or give up. I was here racing the World Championships, i had worked so hard to be here invested so much physically and mentally i would keep going, i would try so bloody hard and see what i could do.

It was horrible, it was utterly horrible. I could only ride around 30km/h when the course is so much faster than that and i had so many people flying past me on the bike. I felt extremely low and just tried to watch the km's go past on my garmin. A couple of team mates flew past me shouting encouragement thinking i was having a bad day (but soon realised the actual situation!). After about 3/4 of the bike course my legs were really beginning to hurt, dragging a flat tyre up hills and along flats is pretty hard going and i was close to tears but i knew i didn't have long left and soon i could finish this bloody bike.

I didn't even bother to eat or drink on the bike like i normally do, i just kept my eyes fixed on the garmin and hoped the time would go faster, the bike was two laps and going past the crowd sitting up on my bike going pretty slow felt quite humiliating.

Anyway an hour and 8 minutes later i was into transition. I threw my helmet down after dumping my bike and began the run like a possessed man, I was angry, disappointed and frustrated. I felt cheated but i wanted a run, i wanted to finish the race with a good run if thats all i could do. I told myself to just run run as hard as i possibly could without collapsing.

There were a few guys in my age group who i set out to catch and dually did so which made me feel slightly better. But crossing the line i was gutted, i had finished 40th so still beat over 20 people but that didn't matter. I knew i was better than the results sheet and i knew i could have had such a stronger race.

For the next couple of days and certainly after the race despite some evening tequila and beer i felt crap. I was really down and struggling to get over the race. I kept thinking about it, about what could have been and i analysed the results sheet at least 10 times. My coach Graeme and my parents and friends were all messaging me but quite honestly i didn't listen to anyone.

After the race i headed to the Rockies for a couple of days to do some hiking and see some of Canada. It was only then whilst i was hiking i really thought about it all. I thought how incredible it was to race for my country, to race a World Championships and race at that level. It sunk it that no i couldn't do anything about a puncture, i didn't under perform or not have the legs it was out with my control. Yes i would have loved a better result and would have had one but that wasn't how the day went. I think i dealt with it as best as i could by keeping riding and i still gave my all on the run. It was time to start moving on, think about the next race and get my head back in the game, Shit happens but it is how we deal with it that defines us.
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"
Thank you for reading this, and thank you for your support!

World Championships Edmonton Canada.

Sprint Distance World Championships.
29th August- Edmonton Canada.

Time: 1:05
750 swim - 11:00
20 km bike- 32:19
5km run- 17:30

Position- 17th

So although this race feels like ages ago it was about time i gave an update of how it actually went! I flew out to Canada about 6 days prior to my first race, i thought this would give me enough time to get used to the time zone, the climate and suss out the course. The days leading up to the race went exactly like that, I would usually do some training mostly on the race course, attend registrations, events or meetings and try and rest as much as possible.

After a couple of days and once the jet lag had faded i was feeling ready to go and in good shape. After attending the opening ceremony, parade of nations and opening banquet it was back to my hotel room to sleep and get ready. I was feeling extremely nervous, i think seeing all the other countries and athletes really put it into perspective that I was racing the World Championships in the morning!

At the race venue it was looking like it would be a beautiful day, i set up my final things in transition had a chat with a couple of team mates and close friends and begun my usual warm up. After that we were in the holding pen, ready to be led out onto the beach. For me this was an incredible moment, we walked across the grass lead by a bagpiper and the crowds surrounded us cheering us to the start. My adrenaline was definitely going through the roof at this point and i felt completely ready.

The race start was a dive in from the beach, I knew it was going to be crowded so tried to pick a spot that seemed at least a little less crowded and lined up. As we stood there waiting i just thought about how hard i had worked to be there and my heart was almost beating out of my wetsuit. Next, the horn sounded and we were off.

Swim
The swim was less chaotic than i thought it would be, I had a strong fast start and tried to push away from the crowds. After the first bouy I just tried to settle into a rhythm and focus on my own race. Occasionally I would try and draft from a swimmer and just keep out of trouble. I was swimming a lot harder than normal as when I came out the water for the run into transition i could hardly breathe. We had a long run into transition and at first i was really struggling to breathe, i can't explain why but it was a little scary at first. I soon calmed down and was ready to grab the bike.

Bike
I knew the bike course suited me and I knew it would be fast, it had a couple of climbs: one at the start which was quite steep but short and i had ridden many times previous to the race, the second climb was a long gradual uphill which was seriously fast, the tarmac was brand new and with a bit of wind you could fly up the hill! Onto the bike i just set to work, trying to catch some swimmers and putting in a strong effort. The roads were closed and generally brilliant quality so the riding was fantastic, On a couple of the downhill and flat sections there was a strong headwind but with the tailwind there wasn't much of a lost time. At points the course was quite crowded and with some questionable bike handling i just made sure to keep safe and go as hard as i could.

Run
Coming off the bike i was feeling fantastic, the crowds were amazing and although i went very hard on the bike i knew i had the run legs. The run course was a little strange, it was semi off road on a forest trail and quite narrow in places. It wasn't the fastest run course but still i was hoping to finish with a strong run. After the trail you pop out back into the park where the crowds were amazing and you have people to chase down. I just kept telling myself to go harder and harder until i crossed the line.

I finished the Sprint race 17th and was delighted! 17th in a World Championships in my first proper year of triathlon felt incredible! I don't think i could have really done much better in the race so it was a good reflection of where i am compared to the World! It was then time to rest as i had the Olympic distance race 2 days later!

British Triathlon Championships

Liverpool triathlon - 10th August

14th in Age group
59th Overall

Swim 1500m - 21:51
Bike 40km - 1:04
Run 10km - 34:37

Well what a weekend that was! Last weekend was a trip to Liverpool for the British Championships. A big race for me, a chance to race against some of the best age groupers in the UK and to race a high profile, closed road event. Driving down i was actually really nervous i wanted to perform well and put a lot of pressure on myself. I was also dealing with a slight injury and was making my coach Graeme rather stressed saying how much it hurt!

I did the usual pre race routine:  checked into the hotel, had a small bike and run and some lunch before heading to registration. We were to set up our bikes the day before in an indoor transition which was a new experience! It was then back to the Hotel for a big meal and bed before 8:30pm as it was a 5am wake up call!

Pre race for me was a bit of a nightmare, as i had no one with me i had to leave all my gear in the car. This meant running from the car to the race start without much time to spare. However this was when i noticed i forgot my number in the car..que mad panic, sprinting to car park and being the last person in your wave to turn up. Anyway pouring with sweat under the wetsuit but very warmed up i was ready to go!

Swim
The start of the swim was actually really good i knew a lot of the guys around me from previous races so we had a small chat and this calmed me down. I also knew who's feet i could sit on and where to be. The horn went off and i decided to really go for the first 200m or so, i feel often i start too slow but this race wasn't the same. I had a great start and wasn't caught up. After the first bouy i was in a good position and pushed on some more, i was in a small pack for a while but then i found myself swimming alone. I realised i was behind the front pack but in front of the chase pack. I had no one to draft but had clear water so could really focus on my technique and having a good swim! Despite the crazy amount of jellyfish i came out the water in a good position and has a personal best for the 1.5km swim.

Cycle
Transition was always going to be slow, we had to take our wetsuits off outside and then run into the arena. Once i grabbed my bike i was off, by this point the rain was pouring and the wind was picking up but i just set into the bike, pushed a big gear and settled in. The race was closed roads which was brilliant but with all the surface water, wind and questionable bike handling it was just as well! The bike course although flat and fast doesn't really suit me, as i'm smaller i prefer routes with climbs and some more technical pieces but it felt good to just push a high pace and time trial. There were a few accidents on the dead corners but i managed to stay out of trouble and keep fueled. Towards the end of the bike i did begin to get very cold, the rain had been constant and i was completely soaked, i was shivering quite badly and this made t2 a bit of a nightmare.

Run
Coming into T2 i struggled to hold my bike running into the arena, this ended up in me slipping and my bike falling onto my ankle. Not the smoothest move and at the time it hurt like hell, my ankle was bleeding and i limped into transition. Knowing i had lost a bit of time i wanted to run harder than ever. So shoes on i was off and out of transition. I basically just wanted to run as hard as possible that was all. I wanted to leave everything on the course and really push. For half the run i was alone just chasing down guys and pushing a hard pace, i then caught a small pack and we pushed it even harder which felt great. I was starting to hurt but knew i was having a great run despite my ankle and recent injuries. Coming up to the finish i was struggling to see and was pushing out of my skin. I don't really remember crossing the line and was put into the medical tent but hey job done! A solid 10km run and a great race.

Im really happy with my performance at Liverpool, i was racing against some seriously good guys in tough conditions and came out fighting. To be 14th in my AG in my first British Champs really feels great.

Since last weekend i also ran the relay at the Aberfeldy middle distance British champs a decision made the night before with my coach Graeme doing the bike! It felt amazing to run so hard relatively fresh and running with some of the top long course triathletes was a great experience. Graeme gave me an incredible lead into the run and after a rest day i was raring to go and run hard! We won the relay event and it was a brilliant weekend overall with some great results from the Gsquad.

I fly to Canada next Saturday so i'm going to put in some final big hours before then but i'm really excited to get out there. I'm pleased with my speed and really motivated for the big races.

Thank you for all the support, for reading my blog and i will keep everyone updated out in Canada.

Plymouth Triathlon

Plymouth Olympic distance triathlon

1500 sea swim: 21:50
40km bike : 1:16
10km (hill!) run : 41:03

Time : 2:21
Position- 7th overall/7th in AG

So a bit late but last week it was a long trip down to the South West for a long weekend in Plymouth and racing the local Olympic distance race. It was really great to head back down there, a couple of my housemates were still there so spending time with them was relaxing and i had a couple of days before the race to enjoy old training routes and a fantastic open water swim in Devon!

I followed the usual race routines and massively helped by my housemates making homemade pizzas my pre race dinner was just as usual and to sleep in a familiar bed and house i really felt relaxed. The race start was 7:30am which was a bit of a shock to the system but im usually up early for swimming so i was used to working hard at this time. I got up around 5 on race day tried to have some breakfast and headed over to the race venue. I was feeling really good i think my fitness is in a great place and having a race somewhere you know is really relaxing.

Transition set up, a chat with a few familiar faces, the sun coming up it was time to get into my zone warm up and get prepared.

Swim
The swim was my first sea swim race of the year this went a lot better than i was expecting as there was little chop and the tide didn't seem to hold us back. The swim start was a little chaotic with 200 people but i was well positioned and hit it hard from the start. It was an amazing place to swim as you come very close to the crowd and it was nice to hear some cheering while swimming. I found some feet to sit on and got into my pace. After the halfway mark one of my goggles had filled with water but i just pushed on and focused on going in a straight line! There was a bit of confusion at then end of the swim of exactly what we had to swim around but soon i was out the water through the crowds and into transition.

Bike
Transition was a bit of a nightmare if im honest, i was a bit distracted in transition and took a bit longer to grab my bike and sort my wetsuit, after i had my bike we had to go down some steps to the mount line, my shoe managed to hit a step and come off my bike before the line. I tried to stay calm, grab my shoe put it on and jump on the bike. Only a few seconds lost but enough to make me a bit stressed. After this i rode the first couple of k's with a lot of aggression, hammering up climbs and being a bit risky. I soon calmed down and told myself to relax but that was when i found myself a little lost. The start of the bike course was quite confusing at one junction, i basically went a long way around to the main road but soon found myself back on course. There should have been a marshall at the junction but hey it was a local event and these things happen! The bike course was a tough one, a lot of climbing, very little flat and some high speed short descents. I felt i was quite alone on the bike course after the first initial overtakings. I didn't feel too great, my mind was in a negative spot about the climbs but i was riding quite well. I kept thinking i was of course as i didn't see many people but at the turnaround that soon changed. I had some people to chase down and a couple of others near my wheel. I just tried to re focus and hit the last half of the bike hard.

Run
Into T2 was a much smoother affair, running shoes on and i was ready to cause some damage and suffer. The run course was again very tough with a couple of big climbs but the course was brilliant with really great crowds and incredible views. I overtook a few guys coming out of transition and also on the final stretch before you start a second lap, i was feeling really good and picked up my pace for the second half. The last stretch of the run is out and back on the breakwater which was a really nice section to run on, flat out in the sea and a good place to empty the tank. I crossed the line in 7th after having the second fastest run and a much better race than i thought i was having!

Plymouth was always going to be a special race for me, i had a couple of my housemates watching along with a good friend Ian and that really helped knowing they were there (and that they got up so early!) I knew the route well and a lot of the marshalls etc also so it felt great to race there. I would have liked to have finished higher up but looking at the speed of the top guys swims i think i did very well.

For now i'm back training in Edinburgh and working hard in preparation for the British championships in Liverpool. Life is a little hectic to say the least at the moment but i'm feeling in good shape and will continue working hard in my training.

A huge thanks to Cissy, Fran and Ian for the support in Plymouth and Plymouth triathlon club for a great event and support. Thanks for reading i'll report back soon!

Photos:
1. The fan club
2. Run finish
3. Beautiful race venue
4. Recovery shoes in action