I drove up the day before as Llandudno was a good three hours away. I was really excited for this race as it was a qualifier for the World Championships in September and many of my team mates had already qualified so I really wanted to join them. I registered and there was a quick opportunity to drive the bike course before the roads were shut, so I did! It was a technically difficult course with lots of climbing, I think mum wished she hadn’t driven the course after she had been round and saw the decent, it was a very narrow road with lots of tight corners. I knew this would however be an advantage to me being a strong rider as riders would get very spread out.
Race day came and I could have a lie in as I wasn’t off till 11:45. All set up I was feeling confident. I lined up for the sea swim which was the first time I had raced in the sea all warmed up. We had been told the sea was 18 degrees but when I first got in I did not believe this, felt like 12! This soon passed as we swam out to swim start. We had a 10 second count down which was nicer than the usual horn and everyone being startled! I had a great swim coming out joint first with a strong swimmer (Junior Super Series racer) that I had eyed up as a target to stick with before the race. This gave me a great boost as I ran up the jetty and up through the very long transition. Wetsuit off, helmet on I was off onto the bike.
I left transition in 1st so knew I had to push so not to be overtaken. It was a draft legal race but I knew that it was going to be safer and even quicker going round solo. Pushing and pushing up the hill, well I wouldn’t call it a hill more like a mountain, another rider caught me up and we worked together up the hill before he dropped me on the decent, on the decent!! The bike course was two laps and I desperately tried to get back onto his wheel before the climb again but I couldn’t. I kept the gap together however as I entered T2 which was very quick.
Race day came and I could have a lie in as I wasn’t off till 11:45. All set up I was feeling confident. I lined up for the sea swim which was the first time I had raced in the sea all warmed up. We had been told the sea was 18 degrees but when I first got in I did not believe this, felt like 12! This soon passed as we swam out to swim start. We had a 10 second count down which was nicer than the usual horn and everyone being startled! I had a great swim coming out joint first with a strong swimmer (Junior Super Series racer) that I had eyed up as a target to stick with before the race. This gave me a great boost as I ran up the jetty and up through the very long transition. Wetsuit off, helmet on I was off onto the bike.
I left transition in 1st so knew I had to push so not to be overtaken. It was a draft legal race but I knew that it was going to be safer and even quicker going round solo. Pushing and pushing up the hill, well I wouldn’t call it a hill more like a mountain, another rider caught me up and we worked together up the hill before he dropped me on the decent, on the decent!! The bike course was two laps and I desperately tried to get back onto his wheel before the climb again but I couldn’t. I kept the gap together however as I entered T2 which was very quick.
The run was just and out and back so very boring. I kept my pace up finishing 2nd overall and 1st in my age group by over 4 minutes in a time of 1:04:18. This means I have qualified for the World Championships in Rotterdam.
Thanks to Brian from Natural Ability for their continued support making it all possible, for pushing me and getting me to the startline in great condition.
rotterdam.triathlon.org/event_info/program/
Thanks to Brian from Natural Ability for their continued support making it all possible, for pushing me and getting me to the startline in great condition.
rotterdam.triathlon.org/event_info/program/
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