Another week, another race...Mumbles duathlon, second race of 2013

As i raced last sunday and i was racing 6 days later the plan i got from Rose for this past week was easy going, the 80 min brick session again, the conditioning run 60 min total, and the 2hr swim squad, with the saturday swim post race as a recovery. The first part of the week i was quite tired, even though i was logging some serious sleep time. I do believe that it's due to alarms, jolting you from sleep, so i will definitely try and buy a natural light alarm thingy when i can afford it amongst the other things i want to buy for tri before Turkey. I also submitted another MSc assignment this week but i had to make a decision which was to not take on board all my tutor's feedback from the draft, and to submit what i was happy with, with the time and effort i felt able to give as the tutor's feedback was to add a hell of a lot extra into the assignment, with no words left to play with into the very restricted word count. Oh well, all that matters is a pass...i have bigger fish to fry!

This was my first multisport event where my parents weren't able to come and watch me, as they had gone on holidays, so i had borrowed my father's car to be able to use the roof bars, rather than dismantling my bike which always seems to slightly knock something out of kilter on the bike. A 7:30am race start meant a 5am alarm clock and porridge before 5:30am. I had registered the fright night and thankfully the weather forecast was right and the high winds and rain had eased, and Saturday morning was cold, breezy, but dry. This race had a lot of newbies, first timers, and i helped a few guys out in transition going through some rules, and giving them tips on transition. I had also forewarned a guy i knew from my brief climbing days, who was doing this as his first multisport event, about lunnon hill - a short but very sharp little lung/leg buster. If you're not in the right gear at the foot of this hill, coming in from a very fast downhill section, then you're stuffed basically.

I had a prime place in transition, although i wasn't happy coming into T2 when another bike had squeezed into the NO space that was between my spot and the guy next to me. The marshals helped me out by shifting the offending guy's bike over but seriously, there should be some recognition of what is space enough for a bike and transition stuff, and what is just an impingement on another athlete's race, who had bothered to get there early enough to get a spot in transition.

After last's week race i had decided to wear the same gear as even though it was cold i was happy with those layers - base layer, arm sleeves, club tri top, gloves, beanie, club tri shorts, leg warmers, socks. This time i had decided to keep my garmin on my wrist throughout as i was more bothered about using the data for my run pace, rather than getting bike feedback. happy to say it worked for the duration and it was great to see my pace in the final 5k was good going. Again there was another healthy crowd from celtic tri, and within the supporters, so always great banter and camaraderie on the course, with high 5s a plenty :)

My strategy again was keep a steady pace on the run but not pushing it, get up lunnon hill without issue, and then finish the race off. This was the first time since i have had my new bike that i would be going up lunnon hill, and only my 3rd time in total. As my old bike has a triple chainset the granny gear is lower than the lowest gear on my compact chainset on the Scott so it would be interesting to see how i fared. However, i am confident that the strength in my legs is enough to get me up most things as long as i switch my brain onto grinding out the pain.

On the run out i kept Jayne Arnold in my sights throughout, Jayne is a very good runner within the club, and i also knew that Christina Smith, Kona Ironman legend, was just behind me, so i wanted to keep my pace steady. I counted that i was about 5th female and overtook one girl on the way back towards T1, but as this race had both short and long routes it was hard to know who was doing what when out on the course. The long course which i did was 5k run, 32k bike, 5k run. The bike is a tough little course, with plenty of hills and with the exposed wind it made it even more challenging. The long drag up across fairwood common felt like a steep hill given the headwind we had. There were also side winds but alas no tail wind! Twice going around corners my back wheel twitched going over manhole covers so i wasn't going flat out on this course on certain sections, instead taking caution over flat out speed as the conditions weren't worth it. One section of fast downhill was stripped of tarmac for re-laying so this made for a bumpy slow section as i didn't want to be thrown off going over bumps and stuff. This was a no-overtaking zone for that reason so i made sure i passed a slower guy before reaching the section so i could at least move away from him. The marshals were great and the traffic decent in giving way knowing we were racing. Thankfully, lunnon hill was clear of traffic and there were only 2 other guys on the hill with me so it caused no problems. Yes, the pain set in at the steep U bend near the top of the hill, but i stayed seated, kept my cadence up, and focused on positive thoughts, rather than doubts about the pain. Yes my heart rate was probably through the roof, and my breathing was rapid for a little while afterwards so i wasn't sure how i would fare on the final hill up towards the mayals from kittle. Again i was pleased my legs were strong and i didn't need my lowest gear here, only using it for lunnon hill which the lowest gear passed with flying colours, so well done Tessa (my bike)!!

Back down towards T2 and again i slipped my feet out of my shoes before transition although before my next race i want to practice this as i know i am loosing time here by slowing down. However, it does make my T2 speedy and i was pleased with my transition times, although still room for improvement here.

My strategy on the bike was consume 1 energy gel, nectar fuel - tasty!, and i have a nectar 2:1 carb energy drink sachet in the water bottle. As it was i drank less than half the bottle but that was probably because of the wind and needing to keep the bike as stable as possible for a lot of the race in the sections that weren't going downhill or uphill! I knew there was water just into the second run so i was happy to wait for that. Energy wise felt strong throughout so happy with my strategy.

Last week the second run had felt hard work, maybe because of the hard week's training i had had, but this race i felt strong throughout the second run. I could tell that unless there was another much faster woman that had already won, that i was in 2nd place. I knew that the girl who was in first was the girl who had won last week's race and fair play to her, if she can run a 19min something first 5k, beat me by 1min on the bike and then hold a 22:30 min second 5k (1min quicker than me on second leg) then she is the better athlete (at the moment ;)). As i was in 2nd i put pressure on myself to hold my run pace, thanks to my garmin, and wanted to hold off Jayne Arnold who i could see was a little way behind me on the run when it came to passing each other after the final turn. Thankfully, no sprint finish was needed, as my legs were definitely tired, but with a final burst of speed to overtake a final guy i cruised home to take 2nd female :)

It was freezing to hang out afterwards for the presentations and because there were so many novices out there it meant that times were slow and people were still racing when we finished the presentations. I had 5 layers on and i was still cold, even though i had changed out of my sweaty race clothes. Even though it was cold there was still a little crowd for the presentations and again a number of the club won a prize so well done to James Hockin, Mike Tate, Jayne Arnold, and Christina Smith. Also well done to everyone who was taking part for the first time in a multisport event. it'd be great if people were motivated to join celtic tri after this race having seen our colours everywhere. I made a point of letting the guys i helped out in transition about the club, and i always encourage other athletes out on the course as i pass them, or if i see they are struggling. It was nice to get a little cheer as i won my prize and i was dead chuffed to win a sun visor, as i had been fancying that exact one for my trip to turkey, so a job well done all in all. I hadn't been bothered about the result, having done well last week, and given the weather, but 2 podiums in 2 weeks is fantastic and making me think whether next year i focus on the duathlon races as much as i do the tris...i might be better at duathlons?

saying that though, i have worked hard on my swim and i'm looking forward to mixing it up a bit in the masses with my swim now i am more confident, but again within reason. i did make swim last night as a recovery, and boy by the end did i feel how tired i was as my energy just went and my "pace" ground to a complete halt! Needless to say i am SO looking forward to a recovery day tomorrow spent on my sofa catching up on sky+ recordings!! Happy days :)

First race of 2013

Pembroke duathlon (5k run/22k bike/2.5k run) marked the start of my 2013 season. Due to the distance and my parents coming to watch we stayed the night in a local travelodge on saturday and enjoyed a cracking game of rugby with Wales annihilating the english to win the 6 nations :) i was screaming and bouncing around like a kid :) After a pleasant meal in a tiny little pub/restaurant that you wouldn't find by chance, we had a chilled evening and a decent sleep before a 6am wake. The day was perfect racing weather, sunny, no wind, a little chilly, but otherwise you couldn't grumble. This race was the first one the season to count towards the club championships but it was also the welsh duathlon championships. Surprisingly enough though there was no chip timing system which led to a cock up with the results, which definitely put a dampener of an otherwise cracking day because the fiasco of the presentations just made you doubt the results that little bit.

As this was a club race there was a very healthy turn out and our club kit was everywhere to be seen. it's always nice to have people to say hello to out on the course, to give a little bit of encouragement to/from etc. and having rose, now my coach, and my parents there to cheer and take pictures and give feedback is always nice as well after you have finished.

So with this being the first race of the season i wanted to use it to try a few things out and to just see where i was at. I entered the 3 duathlons as warm ups for the tri season, but i placed no importance on them. I had wanted to use my garmin during a race for the first time and practised on the saturday transitioning between having the garmin on my wrist, then onto the bike, and then back onto my wrist. I had found the garmin useful during the 5k run to keep my run pace up, but not too high as i wanted to pace myself right given that this was my first duathlon and i wanted to be sure i still had stuff in my legs for the bike and the final 2.5k run. The run felt OK, getting into transition at about 22:30. Unfortunately the garmin failed soon into the bike but i don't know why as i couldn't read the message that came up, with my garmin fitted onto my bike sideways on to ensure a secure fitting. Not to worry, i'm used to racing on feel so i switched it off and got on with putting some guts into the bike leg. I was really pleased with how the bike felt as i was flying past a lot of blokes and i certainly got a few second glances as i powered past them :) the bike course was fast, with one long drag of a hill to begin with, and then some ups and down during the repeated section on the freeway. By this time sunday traffic was starting out and there were a few tractors slowing traffic down which meant i actually had to break a lot to stop going into the back of a car, which was frustrating but i reasoned that by drafting off it at least i was saving energy. Nobody overtook me from having slowed so nothing lost here which was good. Flying back down into transition 2 and i was feeling good. I had made a decision to slip my feet out of my bike shoes whilst riding up to transition and then run down the steep little hill into transition in my socks. This was the first time i had actually done this on a moving bike, having only practised it on the turbo before, but for a first attempt it was OK, just need to not loose as much speed next time, and try and catch my feet straight on top of the shoes rather than them spinning round. What it did mean though was that i was able to run right through transition and i was speedy racking my bike and getting the trainers back on.

The final 2.5k run was definitely tough on the legs and without my garmin to know what pace i was i had to keep pushing myself to keep my pace up, even though i was tired and they were getting very heavy. Thankfully no sprint finish was called for this time but i was pleased with how it had all gone pace wise, and the fact that only a handful of men overtook me from start to finish. All in all a great first race especially given my run training has been hampered by the calf injury all winter so i knew sustained speed wasn't going to be there. As it was i placed 5th female overall, and after some corrections of the final results i also placed 3rd female in the open age group category for the welsh championships - result! Although the important result is the 5th, as the only reason i was 3rd in my age-group is because the women who beat me were veterans so they podiumed in the vets category of the welsh champs. Looking at the times they had much better runs than me by 2 minutes or more on the first 5k, and 1 minute on the bike by two of the women so still work to be done but as we're in march and my season goes through until september then i can't peak too soon can i!

What was also extremely pleasing was that there was no tightness in my calf at all, during the race, or after, and given i had run 29k in the past week, which is the most i have ran in a week for many a long month, then that is extremely good news :) I still have tenderness and a slight lump under the skin where the physio brutalised me, but the few sessions i have had with Mike Griffiths, osteopath, have gotten me right, combined with increased stretching, compressport calf guards/full legs, and cold water at the end of a shower, brrrrr!!!!! Happy days :)

GB age-grouper - how cool does that sound?!?!

As i said previously, i had decided to pay the extra £10 fee at Bala 2012 to put my name forward for european championships qualification, to see how my time fared against others in my age group, just as a marker for my performance. After completing the race i thought nothing more of it, but a week later i was told by someone who had checked the results that i had made the qualifying time - happy days! It's a complicated process, but you have to get within 120% of the winner's time (this still doesn't make sense to me), and i had managed to scrap in at 119.5% - LOL! Still, i was happy that i had made the time, even though i was bottom of the roll-down list and had no hope in hell of getting to the european champs in Turkey, June 2013, or so i thought...

In mid February 2013 i was dealt a major shock when i got an email on a sunday afternoon to say that enough people have dropped out that i was now next on the list and therefore going to Turkey, if i wished!!! Oh my good god!!!!! I was absolutely stunned and didn't know what to do. The place was mine, all i had to do was pay the race entry fee and i was confirmed. But, i hadn't expected this and therefore i felt that i didn't deserve it. I only just made the qualifying time, was i good enough to don a GB trisuit and race for Great Britain as an age-grouper??

If i did race, it would only be my 8th triathlon!    Plus, only my 3rd olympic distance! I seriously was stumped, so i posted on facebook, got great feedback from my mates and club buddies, and i also contacted Rose Jones, tri coach within the club, to seek her advice. I didn't want to rush into a decision, but i knew i needed to decide soon to sort out accommodation/flights, etc. if i was going.

I slept on it but then i started to think "this could be an opportunity to prove i am good enough, that i can excel if i train right" and "i want to do my family proud, as who knows if this opportunity will arise again, and who knows what the future holds". Plus, wearing a GB trisuit would be AMAZING, and an experience i would never forget, and i could always call myself a GB age-grouper. Additionally, if i did do private sport psychology work then having that on my CV would certainly be a bonus! How could i say 'NO'?? So, that was it, i was going! Paid my £102 race entry fee and then tried to sort out a trip out there. Due to it being late in the day availability was minimal meaning costs were up. The thing with GB age-groupers is that you have to pay for it all, nothing is free! You have to pay to race, pay to get there, pay to buy the kit, pay if you want a massage from the team masseuse, pay if you want bike help from the bike maintenance person with the team...thankfully my bank balance was looking healthy! I can's say the same now, lol!

I managed to get into the 2nd GB hotel, next door to the official one. Reviews of it were mixed, but i'm hoping if they are hosting team GB that the standards will be OK. I will stick to cooked food though, and i will take pots of porridge for breakfast on race morning, as i will have to eat at 4am for a 7am pontoon dive start into the med sea! No wetsuits as it's so warm! I am a freezer, but i also dislike it being too hot. I am NOT a sun-seeker, so i am having to acclimatise. I've started this already by wearing extra layers when running/cycling, both outside and also in the gym - i sweat a lot anyway but this means i am pouring sweat out, lol, good for the pores ;)

What i also decided was that if i was going to go to Turkey then i needed to get a tri coach. I asked Rose and she was more than happy to do this. Therefore, i have just completed the first week of tri coaching. The reason i went for this is that it means i don't have to think about my training plan, or it being progressive etc. i just have to follow the plan. What i found this week was when my mind was playing tricks on me after a lengthy osteopath session and i was tired and hungry, and it was late in the evening, i didn't think, oh i'll catch up tomorrow, i got home and got it done! it also meant that when the alarm went off at 5:15am there were no doubts, no thought of reaching for the alarm as has been happening for the past few months, and instead i was up, and out, and getting it all done. No more haphazard training, now i have a plan taken care of for me, my main challenge now will be fitting in my MSc work around it as this past week i have had no time at all to go anything so i am going to have to finish off my assignment tomorrow afternoon once i get back from my first race of the season, the pembroke duathlon (also the welsh champs, and one of our club races).

It's been an interesting first week as come monday, my rest day, my legs were heavy from the brutal xcountry the previous day, but i didn't have the luxury of the rest day and instead had to do a strength and conditioning session that left me aching until i had to repeat it 3 days later! Each session was challenging, but once my body settled into each session it got easier, although still tough. It did give my confidence for this sunday's race though that i can maintain a high pace on the run without my heart rate maxing out, as i was having to go pretty fast to get it to rise into Level 2 heart rate zone (that got worked out for me by Rose from doing a bike test with her), and even harder to get it to raise into the higher part of level 2! Thankfully, as i write this, it's saturday, my rest day finally, and i've spent the morning filling the fridge having not had time all week to do anything other than train, work, train, sleep. I've also done prep for the race tomorrow, practising changing an inner tube and using CO2 canisters for the first time. Now i just need to finish off packing all my kit for tomorrow as my parents and i are staying down in pembroke tonight so my alarm will be set for about 6:15am rather than 4:30!! Looking forward to the race actually, less nerves as no mass swim, and it's also a short sharp race so a good tester. There are about 24 club members racing, which will be great to see, and i imagine a lot of banter will take place too.

Before all that mind you, there is the small matter of wales v england in the last game of this year's 6 nations!!

Planning next season

So i had to consider what i focused on next season. In my first season i just entered all the local races i fancied, and then added in Bala as an additional olympic distance. For my 2nd season i had more clue about having a base phase, a build phase, and then race phase, and how this affected training. Therefore, when looking at races, i considered the ones i fancied, but also looked at how they fitted in with what i identified as my 'A' races. Having flirted with the idea of ironman wales, with the hype pretty inspiring when you're cheering on the sidelines, i spoke with Rose from the club and decided that with my MSc affecting training time, plus my own goal of seeing how fast i can get, i decided to stick to focusing on olympic distances (1500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run) with sprint events (750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) as a warm up roughly 4 weeks before my main races. i also decided to enter the 3 local duathlons (run/bike/run) as i might actually be pretty decent at this given swim is my weakest sport of the 3.

However, during the winter months i was still battling with my calf injury which was hampering my running distance wise so having already dropped out of merthyr mawr pudding run i also decided not to run the llanelli half marathon as i hadn't got my mileage up. However, i did partake in 3 of the 5 xcountry races within the local league competing for celtic tri. This was challenging, but great fun, and brilliant to be part of a mass team event like this. Seeing all our club colours together is pretty awesome!

Hopefully we have done enough to get back promoted to division 1 for the ladies. The last 2 races were proper xcountry, trail, mud, sharp hills, the lot! The last race was our home race in margam park. Not only was it bitterly cold, there was also a stinging head wind which made running seem like being stuck in mud and being forced backwards. That 4 miles felt like 10! results are pending, but given the turn out i'm pretty confident both men and women's teams have done themselves proud :)

What is encouraging is having decided to ditch physio because he had no clue basically and seemed to be haphazardly guessing, whilst inflicting great pain in my calf each session, i have switched to a local osteopath, Mike Griffiths, who is better known as batman in triathlon circles, and just a few sessions with him, coupled with an increased stretching regime, plus using my new compressport calf guards and full legs for recovery, has meant that after a run my calves are no longer tight (apart from a stupidly hilly xcountry 8 miler a couple of weeks ago). So, just days before my first duathlon, i'm confident my calves are almost fully recovered...this shows that complete rest isn't always the cure, and i'm happy with how i handled my injury, regardless of the criticism i got from some quarters on Facebook. Next up, exciting, but anxiety provoking news led to a major decision...

My first off-season

So, end of a season, a successful one at that, and boy was i ready for a holiday! i had committed to taking a complete rest, so i even went away, which for me is very rare on my time off from work! I'd always fancied cornwall, so i booked a stunning apartment with a surreal view of the bay in front of it.
 

I took my mother with me, as she had not that long ago had a knee replacement (her second one) and having been couped up for a few months within the same 4 walls i thought she might appreciate this view! I took 8 days off from exercise - 8 whole days!!!!! plus, with running i didn't run for 2 weeks to rest my calf injury. I hadn't not exercised for this long since i was a student probably, during term holidays. Not that i didn't do anything, i did go on a long walk around the coast, plus, how could i not when the next town along was my namesake!

I would definitely go back here, it was idyllic, and i ate whatever i wanted to, enjoying traditional cornish cream teas with clotted cream :) i had lie ins, watched dvds, had a few beers, and generally just thoroughly chilled out. If i did come back though i'd have no problem bringing me running shoes, or my bike, as there were some cracking places to go off exploring.

I started a part-time Msc in Sport Psychology in september, and the impact this had on my training was totally unexpected. I only do one module per term, so attend one 3 hour lecture a week but the assignments for this first module totally took over my life and i wasn't a happy bunny. I had to prioritise study over training regularly in November and i didn't appreciate this at all! Happy to say though i got a merit for that module, with my first assignment getting a merit, and my second getting a distinction, so at least the work paid off.

What i found over the winter though that my early morning swim sessions were not as often as i'd like, and now having to work 9 hour days to make up the time i spend at uni meant i was generally more tired. I kept things ticking over though, doing regular turbo sessions during the week and having quit Kevin Pullin's swim squad i started going to celtic tri swim sessions regularly which i really enjoy. Swimming with club mates makes it more sociable for me, not that i didn't like who i swam with before, just that i know my club mates better i guess so it's good to spend more time with them. I also find the club swim sessions suit me far better time wise, so glad things worked out the way they did. As for my running, well with my calf injury i had decided to pursue NHS physio treatment, as sports massage alone wasn't enough. However, i didn't have much faith in the physios as they seemed very unclear about the diagnosis and were very vague when i would regularly ask whether i should train or not. This resulted in a lot of bashing from Facebook 'friends' who criticised me for continuing to train, but, i knew in my mind that this wasn't a 'tear' or a 'pull', this was something that was unaffected by distance, speed, etc, and was like a switch, 'on' then 'off'. As it was i was doing short runs twice a week and decided to pull out of the merthyr mawr pudding run due to the cold weather, uneven ground, and having to run through water. didn't think that was the best treatment for my calf!

So, on to xmas and another year spent with the family at my brother's in America. We even headed up the mountains and there was me thinking - "i wonder what it would be like to cycle this", although when we were over 5000ft up and the road was completely iced over and the scenery was all white i didn't think i'd see many bikes.

This photo just brought us to a standstill, a sea of clouds beneath us with the sun starting to set, Simply breathtaking...

Last race of a successful season

Wow, so we're at the end of september and i am sooo looking forward to some time off and a holiday. these last few weeks the training has just been ticking over as the races have been thick and fast in september plus my calf is still painful when running so just trying to see this race out and rest up.

Another dry day at Port Eynon and this time i wasn't concerned about getting to transition early as this race was  only about getting it done, so we arrived at a decent time, saw some celtic tri buddies, and still got my bike in a top stop in transition. I always like to put it next to quality TT bikes as the thinking is they are bound to be out of T1 before me leaving me lots of room to sort myself out. It was cold this morning so i made a conscious decision to put a long sleeve cycle top on for the bike and also wear gloves. I wasn't bothered about taking my time in T1 if i had to, this race was about enjoying and not flat out racing.

The swim was 2 laps of 750 metre with a beach start and a run back onto the beach after each lap. This was great for supporters to get more action shots. I started towards the back and did the whole hurdling leg action into the sea, which again was nice and calm. I took a more direct line this time, even mis-sighting a buoy completely as i was aiming for one up ahead without realising i was going off course with the buoy next to me - the lifeboat soon appeared, oops! i wasn't the only one though and the shape of the swim course is less of a rectangle and more of a 'T' which means after following the buoys you then have to swim out at an angle to the furthest buoy before the horizontal section. i had a guy swimming near me who was zig-zagging his way and kept bumping me so i had enough of this and put a kick of speed in there to get clear of him and from then on the swim went well, my best yet in terms of comfort and feeling like i was going a good speed. back in for the second lap and tried a dolphin dive but didn't quite work so once i was waist height in the water i just swam.

Out and into T1, wasn't rushing so put a long sleeve top on, put my gloves on and off i went for a leisurely bike ride. This was the first time i got to try my new bike on hills, having only gotten it at the end of august, so used it only a handful of times including bala and glynneath. It is a scott foil contessa (female version of the foil 20) and it's a road aero bike, which i chose after my deliberation about whether to get a TT bike. It's super sexy black with a purple stripe which is evident from behind. The gearing is different though as my trek was a triple and this is a compact but i fared fine on the port eynon hill and i was flying down the other side of cefn bryn. I really enjoyed this bike route, very up and down, with some fast places, and some long drags of a hill, probably my best type of course. It was also great fun on the way back to T2 to pass the fancy dress competitors who were doing a sprint version. I did chuckle at a few of the costumes i passed - fred flintstone!

Back into T2 and out on the run. This run course was brutal. Onto port eynon beach again and a long stretch down there before cutting over the sand dunes that grind you almost to a halt and then up one of the steepest hills i've ever run up - norton hill (?). Many people were walking up here so i was encouraging them as i was shuffling past them to keep on going. Rob Govier was at the top of this hill telling us "just 10 more metres to go" - HA! 10 more metres and yes we flattened out as we reached Bank Farm but then we had a stretch along here with the caravaners watching us in their prime spot overlooking the gower, and then another long, long hill up to a turn point. This was not a fast run! The banter on the course was good though with many of my celtic tri male pals worried about being "chicked". Unfortunately, this run course was 2 laps!! So, back down the hills, back along the beach a little way before again cutting up over sand dunes and then back along the path that took us back to the start, and back round we go again! At least i knew what was coming this time though so i just kept going, not pushing, although on the downhill after the last climb i did think "right, this is the final bit now, you can speed up and make up  some places". I have good stamina and always another gear to go into even after hard climbs so i felt pretty fresh now going back down to the beach and back towards the finish, the end of my season!

I wasn't concerned about time, and had no idea how i had done when i finished, i had just really enjoyed the race. I always like to stay behind after the race for the presentations, just to cheer on everyone who has done well, and to see how many of the club have won something. I even indulged in a post-race massage for once because of how tight my calf was and how tight my ITB band was one side. My father had popped back to the car as i had almost forgotten about my bike back in transition (a common theme across the season, doh!). Anyways, it was only when results were posted that i found out i did 2:41, which wasn't bad given i did bala in 2:35, and this course was far, far tougher. What was the major surprise, which resulted in my actually laughing out loud was that i placed 3rd female!! In a race that i was taking as a training race almost and took my time in transitions, awesome!! However, even if i had raced quicker i still don't think i would have gained any places as the winner was 14 minutes ahead of me! A long-course GB age-grouper - fair play!

But, all things considered, i was pretty chuffed with my first season of tri, lots to still improve upon, but a decent starting point nonetheless :)

Shattered...but home race calls

By this stage of the season i am shattered! I have found that the day or 2 after a race my mojo to train just isn't there as much, even though i wouldn't say i was particularly tired. But what i have found is that my usual routine of early doors training sessions have been completely disrupted due to fitting all training in with some late evening training sessions and as a result my routine is all of the shop. I have decided that the last 2 races of the season, the supersprint club race and the gower olympic are just about getting them done as i have achieved what i wanted to at bala so was happy with my first season. By this point in the season a persistent calf pain was making itself known when i was running. I have always suffered with tight calves after running but this pain was new and only came on when putting pressure on the ball of my foot (i changed to forefoot/midfoot running in december 2011). I started to get weekly massages from Vicki Lewis SMT, to get me through the end of the season. I was concerned that it might be a tear but the pain was dull and consistent, rather than increasing in severity or being sharp and shooting. During races the pain also disappeared, due to adrenaline i guess.

Glynneath supersprint is hosted by my club, celtic tri, and i know the route really well having ridden it many times. It was a 400m pool swim going off at set times depending on your estimated time, with a 21k bike and a 3k run. The weather for this race was pretty miserable but i can't complain given how nice the other races have been. It was lovely to see so many friendly faces and the banter directly before the swim was great fun. This is marked as an ideal race for beginners to get their first taste of tri so i made a point of encouraging people along on the bike and run as i passed them ;)

there were only 2 people in my swim lane including me, but i was swimming at the same time as some of the others in the club who i knew were better swimmers. I was off first, with the second guy 10 seconds behind. i struggled a bit with the lycra swimcap as it was already wet and i only just got it on before i was due to push off so that was a bit anxiety provoking but the lane timer was very encouraging. The guy behind caught me about 1/3rd into the swim leg so i let him pass me but then quickly jumped on his feet and drafted off him for the rest of the race, ideal really! out into T1 and the rain had set in so my helmet was full of rain and somebody had knocked my bike which annoyed me. i put on an extra layer because of the weather and also i wasn't going flat out really. Off out on the bike and i quickly caught the others from my swim wave which i was pleased about. I settled into the bike but the weather and a cheeky little breeze made the slight rises on the course seem like leg challenging hills! Back into T2, wave to the parents, had to shout at a newbie to move who was sitting on the floor in transition doing his shoes, etc & i was trying to rack my bike where he was! off out for a 3k sprint, and sprint i did. racing back into the finish i swore out loud in front of children (oops) because how much effort i put into it, but it was worth it as i was currently sitting 1st female with only better swimmers than me left to come in...as it was a club race members had brought in cakes and stuff for the stall so i treated myself to a slice of homemade cake and what a slice i got served, lol! Then came the presentations & WOW, i won! :) happy days! Ok, so it was mainly beginners in the race, but i also 'chicked' a lot of the blokes in the club so i'm being a gal with a target on her back, lol! Given how shattered i am now in the season it was still nice to get a win :)

My first 'big' race

Back when i signed up to my races for my first tri season i included the Gower Olympic as my last race. However, i was advised by someone to fit another olympic distance race in, just incase one didn't go right and then i would have to wait until the next season before having another crack at that distance. So with that in mind i looked at all the olympic races out there and Bala, North Wales, took my fancy. I had heard horror stories of the Bala Middle Distance in 2011 of horrific waves on the swim and athletes huddled in phone boxes with hypothermia on the bike ride! This wasn't helped by reading the race director's report of that race, which detailed everything in anxiety provoking glory! I had heard that Bala lake was cold but i had survived north dock in may, so i was sure i could tough out the temperature. The race was on the second sunday in September, so my parents and i travelled up on the saturday and stayed in a hotel overnight. The race setting looked beautiful and the weather on the saturday was like a summer's day, with people having picnics and bbq's down by the lake front.

The hotel we stayed in was just down the road from the race but it was a hotel/pub with minimal parking, so my dad had to squeeze the car into a space that wasn't really marked as a space. Got a few looks from the peeps in the beer garden as i was washing my bike in the car park before taking it up to our hotel room! I was more shocked by the jaguar that left his cervelo and other top notch bike up on top of their car overnight, with it all dew covered in the morning!

Eating in the restaurant that evening we were unfortunately sitting right by a large table with a kid who was left to their own devices, meaning their bag was left lying in the way of our path, and i had to endure endless stories of these 'seasoned' triathletes talking all things triathlon! what i actually wanted was a nice relaxing evening to take my mind off the following day being my first time doing an olympic race with the 1500m swim giving me anxiety sweats not that many months ago! The evening got worse come night time...my alarm was set for 6am as it was a surprisingly late race start of 9:30am, not that i was complaining. However, our hotel was bang opposite a bench where the locals obviously like to congregate after the pubs close to eat their kebabs and make a right racket! I think 2am i finally got off to sleep, ahhhhh!!!!

What was special about this race was that it was a european qualifier for the euro champs in June 2013. This meant the standard was top notch, but also the race set up was quality so i had number transfers to put on my leg and arm - how cool did i feel! I also got my own race numbered bike slot in transition, so no having to worry about getting prime position by getting there dead early - although i did anyway! I hadn't thought of this race as being a european qualifier until just a week before when i decided to register my interest to try and qualify as it only cost £10 to put your name forward. The reason i did this was not because i had ambitions of qualifying, but more that i wanted to be able to compare myself against the best and see how i fared. I had no idea how long it would take me to complete the race, but it is a relatively flat and fast course, with closed roads. I had a time of 3hrs in mind.

Race morning the lake was calm, the sky was clear, and the setting stunning! i hadn't had my usual breakfast of porridge as breakfast in the hotel wasn't until later, so i had 3 little pots of low fat rice pudding! i had no idea how they would serve me but i had read that elite triathletes often use rice pudding as a pre-race meal so i didn't think anything of it. as it was i could tell no difference in terms of performance between porridge and rice pudding.

the swim course looked nice, just one lap of a long out and back in an oblong shape. we were in waves, with the women going off first - a hare for the hounds coming later! we were able to get in to warm up and i was surprised to see the water was brown, and not the green i was used to of north dock, lol! my strategy for the swim was to again start at the back and once comfortable pick people off. There's no sprint start for me in tri at the mo, just getting into my stroke, conscious of who is around me initially with some anxiety, and then settle into it and nerves all gone. i kept slightly wide of the buoys but not too badly. i was catching people all the time and once into the rhythm the distance didn't seem too long and went by quite quickly. as i was on the last length back i could see some fliers from the men's wave streaming down the inside, so i was glad i was wide of that. Getting out at the end i swam right in, whereas others were standing much too early, and then you had to scramble over some rocks onto a pontoon projecting into water and off into T1. There's a slight hill straight out of transition and as i got onto the road so i saw my parents :) This was also the first race where i was wearing celtic tri race kit and that got me a cheer too from someone in the crowd i didn't know. My celtic tri race kit is 2 piece, whereas i was used to wearing a 2XU trisuit. The 2 piece is definitely easier for pre-race toilet stops, although i prefer the snug feel of the 1 piece that covers all your back when cycling and doesn't ride up when running. However, loved being in a kit that made me stand out from others.

having closed roads was lovely meaning you could concentrate on your race and those around you, rather than traffic as well. There where 2 women on the bike that i kept changing positions with but i was conscious of the frequent draft busters in this race so that i wasn't 'pacing' which we had been warned about pre-race. I was happy to do my best on the bike and not worry about the others. As the men poured past i loved hearing the low zip of the disc wheels gaining and then passing me :) The run course was deceptively challenging in that there was a slight incline for a mile or 2 up from T2 and then just a long stretch before you come inland into a caravan park (random!), turn around a large tree, and then retrace your steps. As my first olympic i definitely felt it in my legs more after a longer bike course and a longer run, but i was able to increase my pace in the last couple of miles and catch runners much slower than me but who obviously had had a better swim than me. Coming back into the transition area and i did my usual sprint finish to make up a lot of places in the last couple of hundred metres :) Crossing the line and having no idea of my time as i didn't wear a watch at all during my first season of races. being a posh race there was a van with instant computerised results, although i had to queue for this but i had seen my parents and they told me i had finished far before the 12:30pm 3hr deadline i had set myself :) as it was i did 2:35 and placed 62 female :) happy days!!!!! Ok, so my swim still lets me down, i did 32 minutes for 1500m, but my bike was decent and i did just under 48minutes for the 10k with some energy zapping inclines both out and back on the run. So i was more than chuffed to bits with that given it was my first olympic distance. Job done me thinks :)

Race 3 - perfect race setting

Race 3 was another sprint, this time in the beautiful location of Port Eynon in the Gower. It was a beautiful day, even if it was a tad cold at 5am in the morning. We wanted to get there early to get a good parking spot so that my mother didn't have far to walk and had plenty of room to open the car doors. The sea was calm and there was no wind - ideal!

After the mumbles fiasco with the swim i played it uber safe by going far right, at the back, on the swim, to the point marshalls had to usher  some of us left because of how far wide we were before starting. needless to say i lost a lot of time but the swim itself went fine and i felt comfortable. i just need to bit by bit get my confidence in not getting flustered when racing with regular contact. I'm used to it in training, but when the heart is going and you're breathing faster anyway, it just seems that bit more anxiety provoking when you regularly get contact. Anyways, back to the race...

So, the stunning location sees you soon hitting a sharp little hill as you head out from the beach on the bike. This was lined with supporters, and again Rob Govier with his cowbells. I'm happy on hills and stick to a low gear with high cadence and it works for me as i fly past people who are struggling. I always know i can make up plenty of places from the swim with my bike and run but i know it will mean that the better triathletes will have too much of a head start - gotta work on that for next season!

The course is a scenic route with an awesome view after climbing the long drag up over cern bryn, you can see all of swansea before you and also the cliffs of gower to your right - amazing! the descent from this is great and i did my characteristic "weeeeeeeee" as speeding down there full pelt :) There are some technical corners on the course, and before this route i didn't really know what people meant by "technical corners', but it basically means having to get in the ride race line and be wary of entering and exiting the corner because of sharpness, dips in the road, etc. Made it fun though :) there's also a section that is so narrow you can't overtake during it. It was at this time that an older bloke was having issues with being overtaken by a girl as he kept speeding up as soon as i overtook him, but then within minutes i would catch him again just by keeping my pace steady. I have since learnt that some races would see this as "pacing", even though i was keeping the same speed, but apparently regular changing of positions between 2 riders is seen as working together and is penalised. However, this guy obviously didn't like being chicked so i made sure i caught him just before the "no overtaking zone" and then put foot to the peddle and left him for dust :)

The run course is a challenging 5k as you run out over the sand, come inland over some sand dunes, go over some grass to a turn point, and then come back over some large chippings before getting to the start to have to repeat the process. When i'm running in a race it's rare that i get overtaken by others unless there has been a wave start so i was surprised on the first lap when another girl overtook me. I wasn't happy about that, lol, but i knew with another lap to go if i kept tucked behind her that i would get my chance, even if it was a sprint finish. Needless to say, out on lap two, as soon as we hit the sand dunes she struggled a little and off i went, raising the pace and finishing off nicely. saw my dad out on the run course so gave him a nice smile as i went past (in between gasping for air!!). Result was i placed 5th female, so happy with that. The girl who had overtaken me before i retook her came up straight after to chat which was nice and she said she had thought it was only 1 lap which is why she had overtaken me, but then run out of steam. She was also surprised to hear this was only my 3rd race so that was nice to hear :)

the day had brightened up lovely, so it was nice after the race to sit in the sun, watching the kids playing down on the sand, and letting the endorphins flow :) i also got to put a face to a virtual friend i had made through twitter, Amy, had joined the club not long after me and we had chatted often but not met, until this race, so that was cool to finally meet in person. Joe had also come to see me race again, so it was nice to be greeted post race by both my parents and my mate Joe :)

Results so far, 8th, 4th, and 5th. Not bad for my first 3 sprint races. Now a break of about 6 weeks over august before 3 races in september, including my A race, Bala, which would be my first olympic race, followed by the club race and then back to port eynon for an end of season olympic distance...

Oopps, wrong positioning for the swim!

Race number 2 was mumbles tri, an idylic setting and again another calm morning. the water was bloody cold in this one and this was the race where it all very nearly went horribly wrong. entering the water for the warm up i was towards the front of the mass and as the countdown to race start began i realised i was bang up the front for the swim - oopps!!!!!! swim is my worst element and i have anxieties about being swam over, swallowing water whilst gulping for air and ultimately drowning. Needless to say i knew i needed to move sharpish! i started the race but because of my anxiety i couldn't get my breathing settled and knew i needed to move over to the side out of the way. as it was i was able to get to the side without any mishaps but i was severely out of breath and had doubts in my head about this being too hard and i wouldn't be able to do it. but then i thought, no, everyone is watching, you can't get out before the race has even hardly begun. I also thought, no curry for you tonight if you wimp out now! (post-race indulgence what i look forward to!) the lifeguard on a surfboard was great, asking if i wanted to hold on - no chance! i'm not sure how long i was over the side, felt like a few minutes but then i slowly started off again and got into a rhythm. by now i was way behind but i didn't panic i just got into a pace and was happy to just get this race done. What did annoy me though is that on the race course as i was rounding the final buoy i could see everyone had streamed down the middle of the course, missing out the final 2 buoys meaning most people swam a lot less distance than me.

anyway, out of the water, had some cheers which was nice but felt a tad embarrassed at how slowly the swim was. then faffed a bit in transition - glasses or not, hmmmm, decided not as it was a bit gloomy and possible specs of water. from this point on though everything went well. i caught up loads on the bike, this type of course suited me as i'm strong on hills so lunnon hill i was able to take loads here, even having time to ask the guy who had fallen off and into the gutter if he was ok - no chance of me stopping though whilst mid-flow on lunnon hill! what was great was that the marhsals had stopped the traffic coming down the hill, which is a godsend when it is 20 degree gradient, narrow, and with an adverse camber bend in it! so, came storming in off the bike and out on the run but felt the bike in my legs this time, probably because of the hills, and the run 2.5k out to the turn point felt a helluva long way! i could see the women in front of me but didn't think i had enough time to catch them. as it was i was only a handful of seconds off 4th place and if i hadn't mucked the swim up, nor had the majority swim a short route, i would have made 4th. However, i learnt a lesson, start where i feel comfortable, and not disadvantage myself from the start. i'll never be the best swimmer so i have to work to my strengths.

So who is Hayley?

Ok, so so far i have written about my journey from tomboy to triathlete, but what about me? There has to be a person behind the sport right, so let me give you some insights into the real me as a lot of people make assumptions about me but they're way off the mark and i got taught to never assume, just ask and find out!

I am the youngest of two children, my older brother has lived in the US of A for the past 11 years and is very happy out there. This has meant family christmas' spent out there where my mother recreates the home environment by still cooking her homemade turkey dinner :) we have also gotten into habit of having bison steak as a treat, this past year on my father's birthday which is xmas eve. might fine steak too :) gotta get that protein ;) where my brother lives has its own cardio room, weights room, and 20m pool, and with a massive park one block down the road i have a ready made training camp! the only thing i don't have is a bike, or a rower, and i find the air is very thin so my breathing gets affected - i get quite chesty when running out there in the winter, but hey ho, other than that its a great way to try and fight off the american supersized xmas excess!

my parents instilled a strong work ethic in me growing up so i worked hard in school and after my experiences of tennis and the mental side of it i opted for a career in psychology. i had originally wanted to be a sport psychologist so off i went to loughborough, that centre of excellence for all things sport! however, when researching the route after graduating i got put off sport psychologist as it was all academically oriented until you had served enough of an apprenticeship to get a reputation, rather than working with people and helping them. therefore, i opted for the clinical psychology route as i had been fascinated by Cracker as a teenager, and loved learning about the "abnormal psychology' disorders such as schizophrenia. we got warned at uni that the path to clinical psychology took longer than becoming a  "Dr" and it did. i started my degree aged 18 and qualified as a clinical psychologist aged 28. that involved a 3 yr BSc, a few years working in various fields as an Assistant Psychologist (working under a qualified psychologist doing a range of duties that all counts towards experience) before i got onto the doctorate course. This 3 year doctorate was in hertfordshire so i left home, again, and went off to live by myself for the first time ( i was in halls of residence in uni). my course was 3 days working, 2 days lectures, and the rest of the time studying, writing assignments, and doing research! so lucky i was single and had no friends in an unfamiliar place then as i had no time to do much other than train, sleep, eat, shop, and study! 3 years later and the pull of home was getting strong, even though it was just family i had back in neath, so i took a chance and moved back in with my parents, and quickly got a job in swansea, which i am still in now. my day job invovles working with adults who live in swansea and have mental health problems, so this might be personality disorders, psychosis, depression, anxiety, or a combination of all of the above! It's challenging and i'm constantly having to learn and your training can never cover all bases.

just for fun i decided to pursue sport psychology as an aside last year, so i am 2/3rds through my first year of a part-time MSc in sport psychology. This is a challenge to balance the demands on this against my training and i have loathed the course at times for affecting my training, especially when a lot of the material is revision of what i do in my day job. The problem is nobody ever qualifies to my level as a clinical psychologist before doing the sport psychology course, so i am an unknown quantity in that respect! have to be individual me, i am an aquarian after all!

So away from work...well i have mentioned my sporting background but i also tried my hand at rock climbing for a year before i took up tri. i got into it with a mate and i quickly took to it, joining the local club and doing twice weekly bouldering sessions trying to build up my strength quickly. however, my eagerness meant i taxed my tendons too much too soon and i ended up with tennis and golfer's elbow, so this hampered my climbing and then i took up tri and now as much as i intend on climbing trying to fit it in is another thing. so far this year i am yet to climb so i really must get a few sessions in soon, my swimming has probably helped my strength too, although to be fair my strength was my downfall in that i was able to power up routes rather than using technique and guile like i should have done, doh! still, good for the guns!

as a person...witty, love a good giggle, i have a warm heart but i also wear my heart on my sleeve, so unfortunately my face can sometimes give away my emotions without intending too, ooopps! I thrive on a challenge, but i'm not HUGELY competitive, more about being the best i can be, but that's not to say i won't sprint to pip that person on the line, just to get one place higher, lol. I am driven, passionate about what i do, which means i throw myself into it and do things properly if i am going to do them. But, i also love unwinding, i love food, i love chilling and catching up with my parents and mates over a good meal, or some drinks, or just strolling along the beach having a natter. I have a quirky personality so whilst being shy at heart i have learnt to overcome that and wear my personality through cars that made a statement, and having bleached blonde hair that has certainly got me more second glances off men than i ever did as a strawberry blonde! Saying that, still waiting for my knight in shining armour!! i learnt when i did summer camp when i was 20 that i have to have music in my life! i have an internal rhythm going that drives me on, gives me my energy, and i love dancing like no-one can see me, or even having a jig in the car when sitting at traffic lights, lol! I have learnt a lot about myself in recent years and i have changed a lot, become a lot more confident in myself, and know what i want, and what i won't put up with. Another thing you've probably learnt is that i can certainly talk, so for now i will leave any unanswered questions left hanging...

First race of my tri-life, May 2012

My first race was Llanelli Sprint in May, with an outdoor swim in the dock there, so having practised in it a few times i knew the worst it would be is choppy, but no current, or real waves. The only wave i had to be concerned about was my swim start wave - the women! So a bright and early start and i had read from Chrissie Wellington that having a shower when you first wake on race morning wakes the body up, so early doors there i was taking a shower. I like to eat 3 hours before a swim start so 5am i was eating breakfast, my warm bowl of porridge. You couldn't complain about the weather, dry, not too cold, calm, as my main concern was my parents who insist on coming to watch all my races (unless my dad is working or they are away), and whether they would be cold. Plus, my mother has a double knee replacement so she can't stand for very long without pain setting it so that is motivation to get my arse around each race as quick as possible! I was also super touched that a close friend of mine, who i met through my climbing days (that's another blog in itself), came down to watch and even got his pals to make a little plaque for me. In all i got 2 plaques across the course of the season from him and they have pride of place in my living room, as that was such as special touch. Thanks Joe!

I wasn't as nervous as i had been in the lead up to the race. Being a psychologist, and having my experience of competition nerves as a kid, i am now pretty good at using self-talk and imagery to quieten my mind, prior, but also during racing. I was also determined to put all the months of training into place to be able to call myself a "triathlete", rather than just "in-training". The water was a balmy 13 degrees C, and about 100 women were in wave 1. I started out right at the back, in line with the first buoy, and i had no-one around me so i felt comfortable. Then we were off...i started off comfortably and was just concerned with getting into a rhythm. I was able to overtake people and got round the first 2 buoys without worry. The 3rd buoy was when you had a diagonal in the race route meaning if people were off course they were swimming directly at you, so i did get a hand push my leg down which made my heart skip a beat, but i didn't let it phase me and off i went on the final length. In T1 my legs were like absolute jelly, even though i had practised this a number of times and the slight slope of the transition area meant i was like bambi on ice! Off out of T1 and i heard cheers from celtic tri peeps and also my mother was right there snapping photos, plus i saw Joe as i was out onto the first roundabout. With the swim done i'm happy, the race can start now! even though i had practised brick sessions and ridden the route before i didn't know how my legs would be running off the bike so i didn't get out of my middle chainring, lol! I have a triple on my first bike, a Trek Pilot 1.0, so i span those legs fast but probably could have placed higher if i had gone into the big ring. Lessons learnt! Anyway, on the bike it was out and back so i could see women in front of me, but not too many. I negotiated the bike well enough and Rob Govier ringing his cowbells as i came into T2 made me think there was something suddenly wrong with me bike! Back into T2 and quick out on the run. The first kilometre or 2 were about getting into my stride and i certainly wasn't pushing flat out. Turn point came and then i knew exactly how far was left to go. Coming back to the start and i could see a few women in front of me, so let's see if i could pick them off. Got to about 100 metres to go and i start overtaking them, having sped up but then i hear a shout that one is kicking back at me, so that's it "sprint!!!!!" to be fair, i always have a final kick of speed in me and i'm pleased to say i left her for dust! the photos after were awesome, every sinew was being strained :) as it was i placed 8th female, so was super happy with my first effort and the smile going to see my parents and being able to say i am a "triathlete" was amazing. the buzz i had for the rest of the day was amazing, although the adrenaline rush did result in an afternoon nap when i got back!

It was my first race experience where i knew people and seeing new friends from the club, and putting faces to names from facebook was brilliant. It was a perfect first race, and my parents thoroughly enjoyed. One race down, 5 to go...

Best decision i ever made!

So in January 2012 i decided to join my local tri club, Celtic Tri. Initially i didn't make that many training sessions but the club facebook page was such a great resource and a great way of getting to know people that it was worth joining just for that! My first season in tri was a bit haphazard in that i had a rough plan in my head but there was no specific progression, i just tried to keep to 2/3 sessions on each discipline, with the sessions including threshold work, speed work, or just longer sessions. Part way through my season i got a heart rate monitor and started to use this for turbo sessions but as i had no set plan i didn't make club sessions regularly.

What i did do was have an 8 weeks of swim coaching with Kevin Pullin, who put me through my paces, did specific drills and speed/threshold work. After completing this i was able to join his swim triathlon squad which meant swimming regularly with others, and having someone to push you outside your comfort zone. It also meant learning to swim in choppy waters and being close to others with bumps and knocks a plenty. However, i was finding that the late nights were affecting my early morning training sessions the next day, and that on a sunday evening after a heavy weekend of training i was just too shattered to make swim squad. I finally quit the squad at the end of the season when i started my MSc and had to re-assess my whole training week to optimise time. However, i had gone from zero to finishing 6 triathlons without drowning, and even doing pretty well in some of my races - more of that later!

What i found though during my races was having the support from club team-mates, and being recognised because of the celtic tri kit, was enough to get extra cheers which certainly lifts you during races. In my first race i was able to calm my nerves by having club mates to talk to, and then in the home straight i had mates shout at me that someone was countering my sprint which meant i kicked again, and left her in my wake ;)

The atmosphere at races is electric, and having a ready made group of people to chat to before, and after the races, and even high 5 during the races, brings a warm feeling inside. The banter after the races is immense too...the feel good factor running on full whack! I would recommend anyone finding a local tri club and joining, even if its just to have people to bounce ideas off, have a friendly face at a race, etc. Celtic tri is brilliant in that all sessions are coached (other than bike rides which are arranged between members), meaning you get dedicated support and coaching for only the cost of covering the venue. The helpfulness of everyone is second to none, and its amazing how many people i now know just from being in the club. What does take some getting used to though is people friending you on facebook, that you haver never met, purely because you're in the same club. Additionally, at races, the number of people who have said to me "hi hayley, how are you", when i have had no idea who they are, just shows how active i must be on Facebook! just wish i knew who some of them were as they are pretty fit!

Was it meant to be?

I can still remember years ago, when i was a gym bunny, seeing my old neighbour in the gym. I hadn't seen her since i was a kid, but i started to see her at the gym regularly. So, Rose, once asked me whether i had thought of doing triathlon. Not sure what made her ask this question, but needless to say my lack of swimming meant the answer was still "No can do". Funnily enough, Rose is now my coach!

In my mid 20s i started running regularly. This had started by doing a 5k run in hyde park in my early 20s and i remember not being able to run 10 minutes on the treadmill without stopping through boredom and lack of running fitness. After the 5k i started regularly going off for long runs and when i moved to hertfordshire to do my doctorate i would regularly go off exploring the local area on a weekend by running. In 2007 i did the swansea bay 10k and did a time of about 47 minutes. Then in 2008 i did the llanelli half marathon and did a 1:46. Then in 2009, after completing my doctorate, and returning to neath to live, i did the 10k race for life in swansea and to my great surprise i won the race with a time of 44 minutes. Ok, not a super fast time, but i was still chuffed to bits, and the emotional experience of being the lead runner, with a bike being your lead out train, with others clapping me, rather than me clapping the leader, was unforgettable.

However, i didn't do anything from then on other than continue with my gym bunny routine, and doing spin classes 3 times a week with a long run on the weekend. Back in the autumn of 2011 i made a decision to sort my swimming out, which would then open up triathlon for me. So i contacted a local ironman legend, Kevin Pullin, and after just one 2 hour session in October 2011 with him i was now able to swim an entire length breathing with my head in the water without swallowing half the pool. He gave me some swim sets to do and off i went, swimming 3/4 times a week. Now that i was swimming i signed up for my first triathlon races and the anxiety that set in about the swim leg - oh dear!

One of my strengths is that i like to research and i like to understand stuff. So i read as much as i could and bought my bike. I hadn't owned a bike for years and hadn't had a road bike since i was a kid with a pink drop handle barred bike! I approached a local bike guy, Jeremy Rees, and he gave me advice on what was a good deal as a starter for me. I knew nothing about bikes, and felt every inch my blondness! But, i am a quick learner, and i am confident on the roads so i was soon doing a full programme on swims, runs, and bikes, with some strength work thrown in as i have always enjoyed this and didn't want to lose my abs or my guns! The big decision to be made then was to join a club or not...i have always trained alone, and before work at that, but i was socially isolated and joining a club would offer coaching, and comaradarie. However, the fear was that they would be too good for me, and as a naturally shy individual, it seemed a big leap of faith to join...

My journey from sporty kid...

So i have always been a tomboy. As a kid i was always out playing on my bike, or climbing trees and such with my local friends. In junior school my teacher, Mrs Wooldridge, introduced 'short' tennis into the school (now known as mini tennis). I took to this quickly and enjoyed playing in local tournaments doing OK. I soon progressed to 'lawn' tennis and with coaching i quickly entered the Welsh squad, and was ranked No.1 in wales for a while in my age-group under 12. My life as a tennis player meant i travelled around a lot, with my parents regularly travelling the country with me on weekends to different tournaments. It was only as i grew older that i appreciated how much of a financial, temporal, and emotional drain this must have been for them.

I played a number of tournaments in Scotland, even remembering Andy Murray as a kid i kicked a football around with when he was about 6! I also travelled with the welsh squad to the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and Denmark. However, what let me down at this age was my ability to talk myself out of matches. My awareness of my mental fragility at this tender age resulted in me pursuing a career in psychology, so i could help others not make the same mistakes i made. Needless to say, my mental skills now are a strength for me.

At the age of 15 i decided that i wanted to concentrate on my GCSEs rather than endless tennis tournaments that i was no longer enjoying due to the anxiety i used to experience prior to competitions. However, i continued to play recreationally for my club, and i also won a British Universities Sporting Association gold medal whilst a student at Loughborough. However, my tennis racket got jung up at the age of 24 when i moved away to do my doctorate.

Anyways, back to sport...so after tennis i turned my hand to a bit of everything whilst at Loughborough, as part of the intramural sport competition between halls of residence. This was great fun and i successfully led our team to victory the year that i was the sports secretary for our hall.

After uni i became a bit of a gym bunny, and slowly started to enjoy running for running's sake. As a kid in the welsh tennis programme i had had 6 monthly fitness tests and had been a member of a gym since age 12, so at this age i hadn't enjoyed the fitness side of it as it was a pressure element that when you're a kid is hard to take on board. I still have shivers down my spine when i hear the beeps of the bleep test! But, i started to enjoy weights, and got into a number of different fitness classes - body combat, step, body pump, etc. I also started doing spin classes regularly and really enjoyed this sweat fest!

But how did i go from gym bunny to focused on triathlon?

Why on earth am i blogging?

So, i've started a blog. Why, you may ask? But if you are here reading this then that's half the battle i guess. I only recently decided to start a blog, having found out that i have a GB age-group place (through the roll-down place system) for the European Championships in Turkey, this June, for olympic distance triathlon. This came as a mighty shock, but i thought a blog would be a way for my sharing my story with people, of how i came from nowhere to here.

Last season was my first year in triathlon, but this was a journey that started back as an undergraduate student at Loughborough over 11 years ago. I remember seeing the triathletes jogging past me and being in awe of them because they had to race 3 sports back to back, rather than just one. However, i have never enjoyed swimming and would avoid it if i could as it was just hard work! i never learnt to breathe with my head in the water so swimming was very tiring and i never used to get anywhere very fast!

All that changed when i decided to sort my swimming out and try my hand at triathlon back in the autumn of 2011. But how did i get there in the first place?...