English
As the Triathlon season winds down I am still keeping in with my other sporting commitments and the training is complimentary. I managed a win in the Sealion’s Tetrathlon up in Croydon at the end of last month: though this wasn’t really the resounding victory it might have been as most of the serious competition fell by the wayside with injuries!
The MPAGB National Triathlon (run/swim/shoot) is one of the most important events in the calendar for me as it is an early indicator of the National rankings as I mentioned in my last post. Although the rules for Pentathlon are now a combined run/shoot/run event, this format has not been adopted in the Tri yet. The first event was the shooting on Saturday morning; I felt good and even managed a pb. Next was the swim which I came 3rd – It felt like a strong swim. The run early on Sunday yielded a 2 second pb with me coming 2nd in the event. Last year I was 16th overall, this year I took Bronze medal and that’s in the bottom half of the age group! Result!
I also had a Bio-mechanics evaluation at Manchester Metropolitan University with Dr Carl Payton – one of the top guys in the country: he analysed everything from the blocks right through to my finish. It was really interesting to see, and I have some key points to work on. It’s strange to think that you’re doing OK, yet you can be making so many simple mistakes that cost you so much time! Fascinating! Whilst we were in the pool I took some underwater shots for a photo assignment: sounds very glamorous, but it wasn’t – more frustrating! More work to do.
I have decided my new year’s resolution will be to get out on my bike even more. Although I am regularly doing turbo sessions I’m not putting in enough long rides when I’m not near to a competition!
Mind you it doesn’t help when your training partners bike disintegrates mid session (It wasn’t a Wiggle bike I hasten to add !) and you have to call your dad to come and bring him home! Well he wasn’t keeping up either…
Sadly I’ve had a few twinges in my back last week and have been to see the Sports masseur and Chiropractor: but I’ve just done my first serious cross country of the season this weekend which was the County Championships and I qualified for the regional heats so it can’t be that serious! Though there was one broken ankle on the Cross-country course that held things up for a while and meant that the hill course (what a hill!) had to be re-routed: It’s a lesson to us all to watch where we’re putting our feet, and not let things get too fluid on the downhill! Still, more cold – more mud to come – I can’t wait! Maybe there’ll be some snow to run in too ?
I’ll be doing a few Christmas fun runs and trying to stick to my diet and training plans over the holiday season. Many thanks to everyone who’s been helping me this year and here’s to an even better 2010! Hope Santa brings you everything you’ve asked for!