A Week on the Turbo

I was a little disappointed when I looked out of the window the week before Christmas to find thick ice on the ground. The great British weather had let me down. Not only was I due to make my debut at Ilkley Cycling Club but I was also intending on riding my new Starley road bike outdoors for the first time. Our December weather prevented me from doing both of these things so back on the turbo I get for yet another gruelling 2.5 hour session indoors.

The new STARLEY to ride the hills of West Yorkshire

Hand built and tested in Cheshire, Starley is a new bike brand to hit the UK and I am one of a handful of athletes lucky enough to own one of their first bikes to come to market. With an official launch planned for early in the New Year, I have a chance to test-ride this amazing bit of kit on some of the most challenging roads in Yorkshire.

The road to Austria Part 1 – My Ironman Journey Begins

On 1^st November 2011, my Ironman journey began. After a month off, I returned to winter training carrying an extra 4kg but looking forward to punishing my body as I prepare for my most challenging race to date.

Ironman Austria takes place in the lakeside city of Klagenfurt, located in Southern Austria. The area is considered to be the Copacabana of the Alps and one of the most beautiful places in the world. Ironman Austria attracts over 2000 competitors and is one of only 23 official Ironman events globally. At a cost of 490Euros to enter I am hoping, on 1^st July 2012, to have the race of my life.

The Off Season - A month of rest & recuperation

What’s it like to not train for a month? I can definitely say it’s great! October is my rest month, where I am under no pressure to train. I will do a bit of exercise because without it I will go crazy but the relaxation is well deserved. I won’t have to log on to Training Peaks to download my weekly training plan and I don’t have to put on my heart rate monitor or carry my Garmin 310xt every time I leave the house to record those vital stats. I can have a month of lie-ins instead of my 7am morning swims and there won’t be that lingering aroma of chlorine on my skin or the permanent goggle marks around my eyes.

Massive quads & a smaller bra size – surely this training can’t be worth it?

When I first met my coach, Gavin Rogers, in October 2010, I had raced only once (slowly) over a sprint distance triathlon. Less than a year later I have competed in 4 Olympic distance events and completed my first half Ironman finishing 3^rd female behind a pro and a GB representative! I am now starting to train towards my ultimate aim – to finish an Ironman.

Leeds Roundhay Olympic completes a great season

 

Roundhay Park Leeds is one of my preferred training locations so when I heard that Xtra Mile Events were holding a triathlon race there I was quick to enter. The swim was in Waterloo Lake, the bike route incorporated some of my favourite training rides and the run was a 3-lap route around this historical park and included the infamous Hill60 - 3 times!!

The Little Woody 70.3 - a podium finish

During a season where the focus has been on Olympic distance racing, my coach, Gavin Rogers from F2k Health and Fitness and I decided to test my endurance over a longer distance event in preparation for Ironman Austria next year. The Little Woody was my choice and it wasn’t a bad one. It’s a small, fairly low-key event through the picturesque woods and hills of The Forest of Dean.

Swim

The 7.30am swim took place at the National Diving Centre, a large flooded quarry near Chepstow. This has got to be one of the most stunning places I’ve swam in the UK, where the colour of water is as blue as that seen in the Caribbean!

Ripon Triathlon - weedy & windy

I had a great swim in a very weedy lake followed by a fast transition out of the wetsuit. After a strong swim I felt positive as I got on the bike but probably pushed it too much on the ride which resulted in a difficult run. The bike route was a little hilly and the strong head wind in parts made it tougher. The run route was fairly flat but I suffered, walking through the drinks stations to be sure I took on fluid. I need to pace myself better on the bike next time, despite how good I feel and then build on the run off the bike. Overall my weak run slowed me down. And as far as event photos go, I really must decide what I am doing with my hair because I look far from glamorous on every race photo I see!

Age Group Finish 7th

Female Finish 31st

Liverpool Triathlon - debut at Olympic distance

My first Olympic distance event and to mark this occasion I made my debut on my new Felt B12 TT bike. What a difference that made – the tri bars felt awesome – totally different and much more of a fluid ride than on a standard road bike! The salt water swim produced some quick times and I got a PB of 25 minutes. My 10k splits on the bike were faster than I have ever ridden before, although the turns at each end of the lap could have been tighter and faster. I dropped a position on the third bike lap but managed to get this back on the run where I achieved another PB of 45:34. My transitions went well overall but I need to master running barefoot whilst steering the bike with one hand! I am really pleased with my performance but know that there is loads more room for improvement.

Age Group Finish 1st

Female Finish 7th