Asda Athletes

So after 3 weeks of being relatively normal, I’ve decided now might be a good time to get my act together and start some winter training.

I’ve missed my boring routine so much. I think having a rest has shown me that sport really does have a large part to play in my life. As soon as it was gone, I began getting ahead on college work, watching rubbish telly and generally feeling like a bit of a spare part. All of the above are a bad idea, especially getting ahead on work, lessons become a bit dull!

So even though on the Saturday ride this morning, I might have been wearing my pain face I was actually over the moon to be back on my bike! I can’t wait to really get stuck in to winter training. I’m just hoping my body will forgive me over the next couple of weeks because it’s going to be a shock to the system. That’s probably an understatement, I think I’m going to be crawling up the chemistry block stairs on monday. Hopefully someone will offer to carry my bag for me…

The next few months are about low intensity sessions that promote good technique and positive adaptations to muscles and the cardiovascular system. So by Christmas I’ll be ready to start charging around the track and going for it on the turbo. For the moment 4 hour rides, long muddy runs and plenty of swim drill sessions will be my friends. I’m slightly concerned I’m a little more excited than I should be!

I had the final push of my season two weeks ago and it was a big push at that; the world duathlon championships. Last year my 4th place left me a tiny bit disappointed but mostly happy.

This year was going to be different I had decided. Disappointment was the last emotion anyone wants to feel at the conclusion of the season, especially when 3 weeks of rest followed by a winter of solid training was to come. So like every athlete I had planned to have perfect preparation in the lead up to one of the biggest races of my year. However I really don’t think an important race isn’t an important race if the preparation doesn’t have it’s share of ups and downs.
In hindsight, I really should have crossed both my toes and my fingers that everything would go to plan.

Having said that, largely everything did work out and nothing went wrong to the extent that my race performance was jeopardised. I just didn’t feel as fit as I have previously in the build up to races. Why I let myself think this I have no idea because it nothing but play havoc with my pre race nerves!

Anyway a massive positive this year, was that I had some company! I couldn’t have asked for a better team mate than Georgia Taylor-Brown. Having a team mate has the ability to change the whole dynamics of the race. It meant that tactics could actually work; communication was an option for once! Shouting ‘allez’ to everyone in the pack on the bike isn’t always as effective as one would hope at getting people to the front to do some work.

I had suggested to Georgia a few days out from race day, that getting a break was definitely a realistic option. In junior races nobody is ever that keen to take risks which is strange because that’s exactly what junior races should be about. Learning and making mistakes when results don’t really matter seems like a much better idea than trying out new tactics in senior elite racing.

After a few swim sessions, some course familiarisation and some focused resting, race day arrived. The feeling of unknown was overwhelming. I couldn’t work out how I was going to race. I had absolutely no idea. My legs felt okay but I wasn’t sure whether that was an accurate indicator. I certainly hadn’t let myself believe that it wouldn’t be the end of world.

All sense of perspective had been lost 20 minutes before the start. My dad tentatively tried to remind me that I only started riding my bike and running because I enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately this was fairly lost on my pre race state of mind which seems a shame because it really does put everything in to perspective; every athlete should be there just to have a good time.

As we were called forward to the line, I desperately searched for anything to think about that would take my mind of the hour of pain I was about to endure. In the end, I thought about how many would kill for an opportunity like this, so why should I waste it by messing it up by being so ridiculously nervous? It definitely helped. I had to do the opportunity justice, even if that just meant finishing towards the back with a smile on my face.

The first run was pretty quick, Georgia kicked about 5 minutes in as the initial pace was a bit too comfortable. This proved a good move, the weaker runners dropped off. Going out on to the bike, Georgia still had a lead of about 15 seconds. I managed to close the deficit within 2 minutes unfortunately in the process I pulled the rest of the field with me.

After a few technical sections of the course, the pack vanished. Georgia and I were left working together. We continued to work well together to get a lead of about 50 seconds.

So the last run was all about fighting off the quick runners chasing. I have never ran so scared and tired! But to my relief after 58 minutes and 40 seconds, I crossed the line in 2nd. The immediate feeling was ‘how on earth did I do that?’, it was a bit of an out of body experience. So the team got a gold and a sliver. Georgia had such an amazing race and really I owe my sliver to her! That team work on the bike counted for a lot. I really appreciated having someone there who was keen to break away.

Overall this season has been mixed but I’m not sure I would have wanted it any different. Not everything has worked out, but in working towards the impossible (the perfect race) I have come away with so much more that a few results next to my name.

This season would have been very different had it not been for the support I have had along the way. My Family, friends, coach, training buddies and the funding from sports aid has made the impossible seem a lot closer. I can’t thank everyone enough!

My last adventure of the season is a trip to Nancy, France at the end of September for the world duathlon championships. However off the back of quite a busy summer, recovery is taking priority over training. I’m going to be doing a few key sessions a week for the next month or so. I’m hoping these sessions are going to sharpen my legs up; speed work has been a bit lacking recently. Hopefully this time next week I’ll be feeling much more confident and ready to race…

Although I really like to avoid putting any additional pressure on my performances I would like just one good race this season. The past couple of months haven’t been entirely successful so if I could pull out something to be proud of in a couple of weeks I think I would start winter training happy. Even if I don’t perform too well though, it’ll only motivate me to train harder so either way winter training looks like it’s going to be a win-win situation.

My super busy summer has almost come to end and I’m gutted! I have really enjoyed the past 4 weeks of travelling and training.

Training in so many new environments is challenging and forces you to concentrate. A standard session I’d do at home becomes something quite different… but a good different I think. New environments enhance the effectiveness of sessions that have become monotonous. For example I went for a tempo run whilst on a family holiday in northern France. In Cambridge when I do my tempo runs I usually switch off and basically finish the run not being able to remember how I got home again. Obviously I couldn’t do that in France. Instead I was constantly having to look out for things, respond to unexpected changes in gradient, use my core to stabilise myself on unfamiliar farm tracks and of course use an extra gear to outrun french dogs.

Thus my tempo run becomes a realistic race simulation. Races more often than not are in places you’ve never been before so training in new environments provides the perfect opportunity to get used to that feeling of the “unknown”.

I was even more surprised at how much easier it is to push yourself on new roads and new pools. The lovely welsh like countryside in northern France also helped. Some of the pain of climbing was relived by the breathing taking backdrops; I could distract myself from my screaming legs as I pedaled up the country lanes.
I loved having an extra edge of motivation for a week. Getting out of the door was straight forward and collapsing back in the door post session was even more satisfying.

This summer whether I have actually improved since I initially went away I don’t know. But what I do know is that I could definitely get used to travelling to new places to train. As an athlete I think it’s really important to be flexible. Having the ability to adapt and work with what you’ve got, to make it work for you is key. I know that I’m not always going to have the amazing set up I have in Cambridge. So being able to recreate my home environment away from home will prove a useful skill in the future.

I’m currently halfway through the 2012 triathlon season. It’s been mixed but strangely I’m enjoying learning from my mistakes and I’m excited for the progression that’ll come as a result.

This summer I’ve got two training camps sandwiched between two holidays in France which I think achieves the athlete to normal person balance quite well.
I’ve got a BTF talent squad camp next week and then a running camp in London at the end of August. It’s going to be a busy couple of weeks but I cannot wait. Being busy is what I love most.

The Olympics has been distracting though! I had to tear myself away from Tom Daley’s 10m syncro final to go out for my run. It’s proving so inspirational. Every athlete there is amazing whether they’re gold medalists or not, everything I’ve seen so far is so impressive. I just think it’s a shame the focus has been on gold medals for team GB. And the disappointment of not having any at the moment is clouding the stunning achievements of the team so far. I’m not too fussed about the result of the medal table in two weeks time, I’m more fussed about watching some breathtaking performances that every nation has to offer!