Well the IRC is not quite the World Champs and I was not expected or expecting to win, but this race has been my World Champs equivalent over the last few years and as it is also a team event that is highly enjoyable. I was feeling good and hoped to have a good race and be up there at the finish and with the extra points on offer from the IRC and depending on a couple of other results I could perhaps have pinched a place or two in the Super Series League table as well as help the team in the regional race, but disaster was to strike...
...The race started well after a 5 hour wait following racking and I got myself into a nice position in the swim and some relatively clean water, I emerged from the lake in 5th and following a good transition was out on the bike course alongside fellow HPU athlete Connor Delaney in the front. Whilst the lead bike pack was setting a good pace it was not an overly fast one with nobody willing to attempt to break and by the last lap we had been caught by the chase group who according to my dad had been well organised in the chase by team colleague Sean Watson. I was by now though feeling some chest pains and by the time I hit the run I was finding it hard to catch my breath as my asthma hit me. This was my Usain moment in as much his error saw him disqualified, my lack of preparation in not taking or having with me on the course my asthma medication saw me sadly slip back on the run and my dream of finishing well in this race and higher in the Super Series final league table evaporated in front of me. I finally staggered in 12th and not even my sun tan could hide the pale complexion of my face at the end as I was completely drained
I was somewhat inconsolable for the rest of Sunday as not only did it impact my final league placing, finishing higher could have scored more points for the region and got us a higher finish given that the team results were so close in the end. Dad though was on the job quickly to try and perk me up and remind me that as a 1st year Youth athlete, 12th and 3rd firts year youth home was not at all bad and I would have the opportunity again next year to compete in this age group, plus finishing 7th overall in the series this year was a good performance, along with the fact that the Juniors had raced the same course Sunday my time would have seen me finish in the top half of that race and those guys are up to 4 years older than me, so overall if not happy with Sundays outcome I can be pleased with the season as a whole. Sunday will still hurt for a while and it reminds me of one my brothers goalkeeping coaches favourite sayings 'fail to prepare, then prepare to fail' so looking ahead I must remember to have my medication with me and use it and be properly prepared for every element of my race
So for the most part my season is now done, I will have a short rest before getting back in the water, on my bike and on the road again to be ready for next season and once Sunday is behind me I will be looking forward to the new competitive season.
Before I sign off for a while a quick but big thank you to my coaches that help me greatly throughout the year - Dave, Tim, Gary and Bob Cheers Guys.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Thursday, 1 September 2011
A good summer so far and now for the Climax.......
.....So this is it the season's climax this weekends IRC competition in Houghton-le-Spring up in the North East where the best of the Tri Stars and Youth competitors compete for their respective regions and themselves, so in a way it is like a National Championship and as it is part of the National Super Series as well it counts for points for that as well.
Preparation as it is for everyone is somewhat disjointed for everyone due to holidays and the unwinding from school. From a race perspective things could not have been much better for me as I competed in the London and at Hyde Park in the National Aquathlon championships.
The size of the field in the docklands was a little disappointing but there was still a good few of the leading Youth series leaders competing so it made for a good race. I was really pleased with the swim coming out just behind my fellow HPU colleague Connor, unfortunately though for both of us our lead did not last long on the bike and the early break cost us dearly, that said I still finished the bike section in a good position in 4th, the transition to the run was good and this propelled me into 3rd, till the turn I could feel the company of another runner on my back at which point he made his move but I managed to maintain close enough contact to out sprint him and regain 3rd spot and a position on the podium at the finish, which was a bit of a thrill at such a big event, especially with the presentation and the alcohol free champagne we had to open and spray around, but I really must practice how to open a bottle of champagne as I was a little left behind......
We then moved on to Hyde Park the following weekend and the National aquathlon championships. I was looking forward to this as it was both on part of next years Olympic course and it was taking part amid the Dextro ITU world championship event and that extra buzz probably helped me put to the back of my mind that this was an aquathlon and not a Triathlon and not my favoured event.
Once again I had a decent swim but this time found myself not coming out in the front as the shorter race saw a couple of others put a little more effort in than they would in a tri and so I came out 4th, still not badly placed but with a run that felt like a sprint from the start I could not see myself catching those in front. I did however catch one of those early in the run but was myself quickly hauled in by Sean Watson a HPU compadre and a couple of other London region competitors, although I did not let the later two get two far away and I started my sprint just ahead of the turn onto the final straight which caught both by surprise and allowed me finish strongly in 4th, It was a shame I could not join Sean on the podium but I was still very pleased with my result which leaves me feeling pretty good ahead of the IRC's this weekend.
HPU is well represented with Sean Watson, Connor Delaney, Molly McKenzie and myself forming part of the Eastern Region team and Kate Curran representing South East, hopefully we can all have a strong finishing event for the season.
Preparation as it is for everyone is somewhat disjointed for everyone due to holidays and the unwinding from school. From a race perspective things could not have been much better for me as I competed in the London and at Hyde Park in the National Aquathlon championships.
The size of the field in the docklands was a little disappointing but there was still a good few of the leading Youth series leaders competing so it made for a good race. I was really pleased with the swim coming out just behind my fellow HPU colleague Connor, unfortunately though for both of us our lead did not last long on the bike and the early break cost us dearly, that said I still finished the bike section in a good position in 4th, the transition to the run was good and this propelled me into 3rd, till the turn I could feel the company of another runner on my back at which point he made his move but I managed to maintain close enough contact to out sprint him and regain 3rd spot and a position on the podium at the finish, which was a bit of a thrill at such a big event, especially with the presentation and the alcohol free champagne we had to open and spray around, but I really must practice how to open a bottle of champagne as I was a little left behind......
We then moved on to Hyde Park the following weekend and the National aquathlon championships. I was looking forward to this as it was both on part of next years Olympic course and it was taking part amid the Dextro ITU world championship event and that extra buzz probably helped me put to the back of my mind that this was an aquathlon and not a Triathlon and not my favoured event.
Once again I had a decent swim but this time found myself not coming out in the front as the shorter race saw a couple of others put a little more effort in than they would in a tri and so I came out 4th, still not badly placed but with a run that felt like a sprint from the start I could not see myself catching those in front. I did however catch one of those early in the run but was myself quickly hauled in by Sean Watson a HPU compadre and a couple of other London region competitors, although I did not let the later two get two far away and I started my sprint just ahead of the turn onto the final straight which caught both by surprise and allowed me finish strongly in 4th, It was a shame I could not join Sean on the podium but I was still very pleased with my result which leaves me feeling pretty good ahead of the IRC's this weekend.
HPU is well represented with Sean Watson, Connor Delaney, Molly McKenzie and myself forming part of the Eastern Region team and Kate Curran representing South East, hopefully we can all have a strong finishing event for the season.
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