I started my Triathlon ‘career’ in 2008 and never looked back, only ever  forward as I loved the sport so much , however shied away from the longer events such as 70.3 until now! I guess I just wanted to give it my best shot , be really prepared for it in so far as my fitness, endurance and mental abitily is concerned. And that took 4 years.

So just to give myself a heads up on the event I went on the Richard Hobson 70.3 training camp  for 10 days before the race to prepare

Ironman was very different  to Xterra and ITU so I wanted to be  sure of my bearings in the race. Smooth execution being the upmost importance when  it comes to transitions!

La Santa was hosting the inaugrial  event so was the best place to be staying, training with some like minded athletes in the week leading up to the race , we recce’d the run in the 32 degree heat which was sticky and humid for the time of year. and rode the course in the searing heat and no wind (unusual for  lanazarote)

It was indeed a luxury to be able to have such a long and familiar prep time for a race as  normally I would get to a  hot and humid place a few days  before and suffer on race day.

I felt very ready  for this race , with my spin teaching  giving me added volume and power. I was doing some 2 hour  long sesions at ‘BOOM’, the indoor cycling studio,. www.boommybody.com , with constant weekly massages from Mark at Purus health in Covent Garden it all kept me ticking over for what seemed an extra long season, which spanned from early March racing in the Philippines to Novenmaner with Lanzarote

The race had   800 athletes starting together in the La Santa lagoon, warm, and cramped and no clear water to swim in, bashed and kicked all the way round the course there had no  space all the way round the two laps and my chip around my ankle was ripped from me as swimmers all round me  pulled and tugged at my legs.  which meant I had to keep stopping to put it back on, this slowed me down,  until the end of the 1900m,

Swim over I raced out of my wetsuit into the tent and swiflty got my blue bag for my bike belt and helmet. I was off on the bike. The wind had picked up during the previous few days. So was much tougher than in training. Howeever I felt strong on the bike and just powered through until  the Tabeysco climb, a 10 km long twisty climb that most dreaded,   but easier for me as I was used to XTERRA hills on my MTB, I tried staying down on my tri bars all the way up, in so doing passed around  20 other athletes , easy riding not  going too hard . I knew there was a long way to go  Tho I was thinking at the top of the hill the last leg (about 30 k)  was mostly  down hill with some amazing descents,  getting up to 80kmh  on my 2008 Cannodale Slice with borrowed Mavic wheels  (Thanks Nick from ‘Bike and Run’) Then after 10 km  we turned and the WIND  hit us It was suddenly really  hard pushing  into a strong headwind for 15 km.

At last I saw La Santa in the distance,  looking at my time I was amazed , it took just over 3 hours , the training ride took 3.45!

I jumped off the bike and popped the running shoes on without socks as time was of the essence, me and no 75 were ‘dancing’all through   the bike so was able to run with her, we came out of T2 together  and she was on my shoulder for 1 lap. Finally we ran togther striking a conversation as we went that lasted for a lap and half and finally she upped the pace and was off, I was hoping for a time of 1.30 but as I had never done that before I thought it was a big ask.

My feet were blistering for the first time in a race, and I was feeling pretty uncomfotable the last lap, it  was a killler, Thank goodnesss fpr my compresssport calf gaurds that helped  me through.

All I needed to do was hold on but the course  took no prisoners,mentally, you could see your rivals closing in it becomes a game of cat and mouse with 3 laps of the course and a hill to climb up to La Santa each time.

At last I came into the stadium  with  a fininsh time of 5 hr 23 . The longest race I’ve done but strangley not as gruelling as I imagined  I think the off road races take it out of you more and the finish line is crossed in such a state, usually ending with a med tent visit, not this time, i had enough energy to dance til 330 am….

I ended up  Ist age group and 18th overall , I was pleased with the result and my  perfiormance on the day,  It felt so different to other  races as the bike was so much easier BUT the runs so much harder!

Now all I had to do was a leg massage and cold plunge followed by the awards and PARTY! I  gave up my Vegas slot ( which was sprung apon me) BUT felt instincitvely that now it waa time to concentrate on Xterra for next season. I liked 70.3 and will definaete;ly do another but have no huge age group ambitions for it, I like Xterra racing too much to give it up just yet. I’m  sure if the two can be raced side by side in one season…

Anyway  if i were to race 70.3 again wouldnt I have to get  an aero helemet ???

Thanks to my support crew:

Bike and RunSuunto

Craft

Compressport

Cliffbar

Nuun,

Bikeboxalan

Shockabsorber

Cannondale,

Mark @ Purus Health and my caoch Simon Ward.

Without you guys I would not be able continue to do the thing I love. THANK YOU.

It was somewhat of an experimental season,  to see how my arm held up in races and where my fitness was. Both as it turned out were not as good as they could be, with a whole  year out of racing, and only back in February  with some full on training and work, Stunt work that is…

What with the Olympics and excitement of The Queens Jubliee celebrations this year too it’s been  an amazing British summer. Celebrating the fact that we are British and proud of it is something our nation does not do often or indeed has the chance to do without feeling a little embarrassed. And boy did we do it in style!

Gradually as my races clocked up; I started to feel a little stronger and fitter as each one came and went.

First up after XTERRA Philippines was the Volcano race and training camp in April I loved that one!!  The Swim was needing much work, but I came in  5th so it was not too bad a race. then there was the World Cross Champs a month later  held in Alabama USA, what an adventure that was in beautiful surroundings and very hot tempertaures. My MTB’ ing let me down  a little but swimming without a wetsuit seemed to be an advantage. Coming in 17th I guess I was  a little disappointed with the result as I was not up to the standard I was used to. Next was The Brititsh X champs in the beautiful countyside of the Lakedistrict, in early June where I came 6th overall. I was out  of the cold lake down on my time by 2 minutes. wetsuit was complusory at 11 degrees, again my mtb’ ing was not strong l and had to pull it back on the run (well more of a fell run up some sharp climbs)

A few days Later I was asked by SILVA/CRAFT team to race Mountain  Mayhem, a 24 hour endurance race that is norotiously tough. I agreed as it was on my birthday, at the time  thought it may be fun to do, little did I know that it was goung to be the toughest race mentally and physically to date..rain , freezing and the laps lasting over 2 hours . I never seen so much rain relentlessly pounding on me and  on my tent , all night riding with my 3 team mates, in the cold rain and mud …nice  but we survived it with mud up to out ears, tired and wet, how I managed to get through the 24 hours  in one piece I’ll never know grit and determination I guess, having a stinking cold and chest infection didn’t help matters either…I had to Lick my wounds and recover.. What doesnt kill you..isnt that what they say.??

The Olympics was getting closer by now and things were hotting up with some stuntwork and body doubling , mosty all linked to adverts etc for the Brish team in the games. Kept me busy for a few weeks leading up to my next race. XTERRA France. Another mud fest this time even more gruelling than the last..3 1/2 hours of hills and mud on the bike, barely able to push the bike through , it was 2 laps of hard rding, what a race! Ouch is the word. My bike mechanics letting out  a deep sigh each time  having to change most of the componenets on my bike , .NOTE TO SELF : Do not ride bike  in the mud …

 I gave myself a  month to rest up after a few races under my belt. And so to concentrate on our Olympics..what a fantastic time that was. Great job TEAM GB!!!!!!! GOLD BRITAIN! wooohooo.

That done  I set myself another race goal. my first 70.3.in early September  In Gerardmer France where the Xterra was held. Thought it may be a nice one to do  quite hilly. I was intending to go straight after  to do XTERRA Switzerland but felt I just wasnt strong enough yet on my Mountain bike. Also was hoping to get myself a 29 er as it seems that is the way forward .

On our way to France in the car, travelling about 80 mph we hit a large block of wood the only thing for miles on the empty FRENCH autoroute… must have come off a lorry.  No  time to swerve so we hit it and burst a tyre, lucky really  remained in control of the car. It took all day to sort out, 800 Euros later  (The French do not own MINIS apparently ) .. we  eventually got to our destination late that night.

The next day was the day before a race  and it was raining hard  and 10 degrees , I decided to scratch  and go for the  Olympic distance. the following day. Familiarity  and warmer weather was the best policy for me. The rain stopped the next day and the sun shone , tempertaure sored to 22 degrees, must say -it was a good call.:))))) I came 7th Pro in the end being out sprinted  along the finish shoot.

Next up is Cornwall festival of sport where I may venture to do a quick Olympic distance Tri or maybe just a swim in the sea and volley ball game…mmmmmm

Then   the Lanzarote 70.3 race in November, my A race of the season . That is my biggest challenge  of the year to see if my fitness level is good enough to race that distamnce, back to my most favourite place La Santa for a 10 day camp before…can’t wait.

Thanks  to some new sponsors who gave me some lovely products to try out. NUUN, SILVA lights, and some current ones who have still been amazingly supportive this year, BIke and Run, Chelmer Bikes, Suunto, Craft, Shock Absorber, Blue Seventy wetsuits, and a special thanks goes to Mark from PURUS Health for my massages every week which and Bruce Butler the main fixer of broken bodies…

All briefed up with awash with ITU rules; no race belt, uniforms of country at all times to be worn, no loose tempers, no un sportsmanship, , no aggresive overtaking, no wetsuits/swim skins. No tattoos  (bar the XTERRA ones) no compression  tights in the swim. It was all of  shock to us XTERRA’s as we were unused to so many rules…racing is so laid back in comparison, but we did our best.  the first few days in “bama were fun if not a little isolated, staying in a lodge on the Oak moutain park site.  a beautiful 38 acres of land which housed the civil war in its time. So steeped with history ..and many four legged friends too. The  evening frog chorus was mad, singing and churping their hearts out every evening, took mating calls to another level. We saw racoons (who managed to take the lid off the bin and sift through all sorts of  waste to get to what they wanted) Armadillos, fire flies, dragon flies, deers, possums to name a few wild animlas living around us.

It was a perfect place for my pre race prep as the lake and venue was only a couple of miles away inside the park. The venue was suprerb the best I have experiences  so far in XTERRA. The lake a smooth easy swim in 25 degree water and flat as a pancake. So too was the three lap bike course, good for 29 ‘ers and mtb ers . I had/am neither…

I thought the run was great  no hills to speak of just 2 laps of off road trails that partly took in  the bike route with twists and turns with tree roots and sharp turns.

I felt pretty good leading up to the day. It did however progessively get hotter as the days went on and by Saturday it was very warm and humid. We did in fact do most of the race in the wood s so kept pretty cool. I managed to buy a small camel back (the only the bike shop had was  a child’s bright pink one) Ah well ever professional…

Once we were checked and photographed in our uniforms. ?? And given another briefing.

There were 23 elite girls and 25 elite men. We were first on the line at 1.30pm  then the boys 4 pm.  it was a friendly and we went off no  problems smooth and so nice to not be swam over, knocked, punched, kicked etc,   Out of the water 750 m loop and a quick run between, Shonny just  in front as we ran together diving in again and I sped off trying a negative split. The swim felt good  as my arm was feeling comfortable without a wetsuit. Out of the water in 24.43 better than  the last race so getting there. 10th out of the water, . By the time I hit the tracks Shonny was on me and gone with  dust flying in the air, fast as ..then Danieelee Kabush and a until the second lap where 2 more overtook, after that 29′er after 29′ er  . My place dropping  all the while. 8 bikes in all overtook me on the single track very politely but overtook all the same.

Then my mate Caroline caught me at the end of the last lap we rode togther to T2 and I got out of the run in front only to be overtaken promptly. Faded quickly my legs  were shot with trying to keep up with the fast girls.

I was in 18th now and nearing last position.. I got  17th in the end as I passed a girl on the run. I found that the 29′er is KING in USA racing.

I  look  back at  Alabama  with a smile, I had a lovely time there and people were very freindly and welcoming , the venue was amazing. It was lovely to be in the warm and everything was so  easy.

Reflections on the race as I return my swim was good and improving, bike I need to some tecjh skills and a 29′er and some serious training months next year I”l be stronger and faster…thanks again to the lovely sponsors. Clif, Bikebox alan, blue seventy wetsuits who kindly send me a swim skin and sleeveless wetsuit in USA  Big thanks  Suunto, Craft, shock absorber and Cannonade.

Special thanks to my MUM for coming all the way to support me. She is amazing at 76!

Thanks also to Monique for her continued support.

Club La Santa has something  I dont know what but just something.. YOU either  love it or hate it. Most come back for more and some leave within a few days. The rentless winds usually knock people out and so does the full on timetable .

I took the first few days a little easy, and opted for a steady get back and see what happens.. It had been just a few weeks since  any formal training since my break of a year. This was a treat to see where  I was in fitness and how my arm would cope with some proper swim sets.  It turned out that my swim times were little slower and the wetsuit was not a good thing for the shoulder, it seemed to make my arm go numb and slow down. But I coped with the volume of work and play!!

The race was an added extra as the week went by we didn’t really consider the race until the FRiday before when evryone suddenly snapped into their own individual race prep  mode.  The wind and rain the previous night spelt a rather hard bike leg but as the morning arrived the sun shone and wind died down making for  near perfect race conditions.

I was about to swim without wetsuit but the previous day tried it and froze.. so wetsuit it was. Race day the sun shone and the water was warm ish..boys first in a crazy mad frenzy start and girls after  5 mins , bliss.

I took it pretty easy for the start and then built up. However I was still 3.5 minutes down on my swim time. In transition I had my helmet on, bike and bike shoes clipped in..running out making up for lost swim time and as I ran out the gates all I heard was shouts ‘RACE BELT!!! but  in Spanish,  so I carried on as it couldn’t be me right? Wrong, race belt? On the bike? I was so used to racing XTERRRA  that I forgot the ITU rules.. I had to go back to transition  otherwise would have been DQ’ed.

That added a few more  minutes to my time, so I then had to do some more catching up on the bike. I had borrowed a fab road bike from the lovely Tony at  my sponsors Bike and Run . the Trek Madone 5.2 great on the hills and the hills were a-plenty in Lanza!

Felt pretty ok on the bike but didn’t get the rules  as some overtook on  the inside and others outside some drafting some just  plain crazy.. Non-Drafting not sure how far I was supposed to be so overtaking was tricky. I guess I’m also used to drafting on the MTB .which is allowed. T2 was smooth and the run off was pretty ok. Three laps seemed pretty long,  as we had to do a lap around the track per lap. I had overtaken a few girls and thought I may be in top 10 position but wasn’t sure until the finish. Came in 5th in the end so pleased with that result. Thank you to Blue Seventy for the wetsuit, Craft for the fab kit, Clif bar for the nutrition on the camp and in the race. Suunto for my new Quest watch..love it!, Bike box alan for the eye catching blue bike box which still keeps my bike safe and sound, shock absorber for the swim suits and tops, bike and run for the loan of the bike!

All of whom I could not do without. XX

My times were down on all three disciplines from 2009 when I race there last, but that is inevitable, now an easier week and prep for Alabama.  World Cross Champs.2012 19 th May bring it!!!!!!!!