Left Bank Triathlon 2014

Today I felt quite a bit of pressure on me because I knew that this was the race that I would perform well in but things can turn around quite quickly.

I guess that most people would be pretty happy with coming third. But for me, I wasn't overly proud of coming third in todays race. The reason behind it was because I set my goal too high, it wasn't impossible though. I know I could of done better and I know where I went wrong. I went out too hard in the swim and then smashed myself on the first lap of the bike trying to keep up with the two girls I wanted to beat. This wasn't the best choice to make when I realised that I still had two laps to go and a hard and fast 2km run off the bike ahead of me.

The water was pretty cold this morning but after swimming a couple of strokes it actually wasn't that bad. I got out of the water after my warm up and focused on my race. After a long few minutes we get called to the start line. The nerves really kicked in. I was so nervous. I swim out to the first buoy waiting for the start. All I can remember is having a really fast start. I was at the front of the pack, up there with the lead swimmers. They managed to drop me but I wasn't that far behind them. I get out of the swim and head into transition. Running past all of the racks and I had completely forgotten where I put my bike. I really wish I payed more attention to where I put my bike when I first entered transition this morning. I managed to find it and I quickly put my race belt and helmet on and I can see Cassia right next to me. I knew that if I wanted to place first I had to have an amazing bike ride and smash it. But things started going wrong as soon as I ran out of transition with my bike. I got stuck behind some people who weren't as experienced as I was at the mount line. So I continued running with my bike until I got in front of those people and mounted my bike. I rode pretty quickly up to the first round-about and I almost crashed into the curb because I was too busy paying attention to the girls I wanted to beat. Jo Robertson and Cassia both passed me on the bike but I passed them back. It was a race between us three. Back and forward we all went, over-taking each other. I come down the hill finishing my first lap about to go onto my second and I can hear everyone screaming out my name cheering for me. 

I knew that I went out too hard on the first lap on the bike and I started to cough and I couldn't breathe. That is probably one of the worst things to experience in a triathlon. You wonder whether you should stop or keep going. My legs were absolutely fried on the next two laps of the bike and I just could not keep up with Cassia and Jo. At the dismount line I got stuck behind a few people which allowed others behind me to catch up and the ones in front to get a bigger lead on me. I come into transition, rack my bike, quickly get my run shoes on and run out of transition. My chest was hurting so much that I struggled to breathe but I knew I couldn't give up. The first 1km of the run was up hill and I knew I would lose time running up hill as the run is my weakest leg. A couple of hundred metres away from the run turn around I can see the leaders running at a quick pace. I had to really pick up the pace if I wanted to place today. I start heading back on the run and I can see Sophie Fenna just flying and I couldn't let her beat me. Luckily the run was down hill but I was experiencing so much pain at this point, everything just hurt. She wasn't that far behind me and I can see the finish line in the distance. My coach, my mum and my friends are there cheering me on a few hundred metres from the finish line screaming that Sophie is right behind me. I never look back when racing but today I did. I had to know whether I needed to pick up the pace or stay at this strong pace I was running. I could see her right there behind me. I took a breath and went for it. I absolutely sprinted for that few hundred metres which seemed to last forever, sprinting faster than I have ever before. The finish line is in sight. I didn't know whether Sophie was still on my feet or not but I just kept on going. I got to the finish line and collapsed. My dad told me to never collapse at the finish line, no matter how hard you tried you have to make it look like you could do that all over again. But sometimes there can be an acception and you can collapse. I couldn't physically stand after the race. I had to have people hold me up right because I just didn't have the energy to stand. I have learnt a lot from todays race and you can't always have the best race but at least you know you tried.