The last four winter months sum this up. The winter has been cold, long but surprisingly enjoyable. I have learnt more about myself in this time than I have in the last four years! Cycling to the pool at 6am in minus conditions have not only made me appreciate the warm weather (should it ever arrive), but has also helped me get back closer to that 61 second 100 metre PB! I am not sure I will ever reach those heights again, but I am okay with that. I have learnt that I am no longer a swimmer but a triathlete. It is important that I now give cycling and running as much respect as I give swimming. Therefore a watt bike arrived in January, a new TT and some nice new moulded orthotics!
November and December consisted of two 10k races and the chance to build my running confidence. I didn't get too many miles in due to a niggling foot injury but the turbo sessions seemed to be working. A PB at Bushy Park and the first time I broke the 50 minute time barrier. I was getting stronger and stronger. Two gym sessions were added to my programme, which helped with improving my core strength and building my non existent gluts! These months also included being selected for the GB Age Group European and World Aquathlon Championships. The GBR jacket arrived! This added fuel to the fire for winter motivation. Not that I needed it, triathlon occupies my thoughts everyday and I couldn't be any more focused to succeed and stay focused this season.
So 2017... another PB on New years Day at the Serpentine 10k. I then received an email saying I had qualified via a roll down place (from that awful race in Worthing) for the GB Age Group European Triathlon Championships. It felt like I had been handed a wild card and now a chance to prove myself against the best age groupers. I am most definitely on countdown to the start of the season now. Two Mallorca races and Lanzarote 70.3 booked, sandwiched by Bratislava and Kitzbuhl. A couple of qualifiers and some local triathlons make up the season. I opted to pull out of the World Aquathlon Champs in Canada due to Lanzarote being so close. This still remains my A race and I decided it would be better to head out there 3 weeks before to train and acclimatise to the heat and wind!
A bad race then arrived in the same week my Grandad died. Time to dig deep. The dreaded duathlon (I feel lost without swimming). -6 on the start line at Dorney Lake; I was MASSIVELY underdressed. Rookie. You live and learn from your mistakes. I froze on the bike, unable to change gears or pick up a water bottle. A nice man put my trainers on for me in transition and took my helmet off. I will never freeze again. The only saviour from the day a 43 min 10k PB.. I was, with only 3 runs in January, getting closer to the sub 40 min goal. Silver lining of a tough week.
So one more duathlon and a half marathon before the season starts on 2nd April. 15 races planned.. I CANNOT wait! I know not every training session or race this season will go to plan, but I am as mentally prepared as possible for this and will continue to do all I can to become the best athlete I can be, Team Dillon style! I have learnt in the last few weeks that life is relatively short. Appreciate every day. Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience, and the worst days give you lessons.
I want to thank Team Dillon and Michelle for their continued support and also Em for continuing to be such an awesome coach! :) Bring on 2017... The goal is not to be better than anyone else but to become the best version of myself. x x
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