Bike shoes, Bee stings and Beginning the Countdown

August is always that time of year that I'm about ready to hang up my trainers and kit in favour of a rest and non-triathlon related hobbies, but with less than 3 weeks to go till my last race of the season (The World Champs at Hyde Park) I've been training consistently.....and learned a thing or two along the way.  Here's what I've learned:

1. Never underestimate how difficult it is to buy bike shoes

I've been trying since June! I must have exceedingly large feet for a lady! Some finally arrived in time for the relays but were too small and all my toes were squished so they are no good.  Thankfully I have lovely friends rallying round in the quest to buy some size 7 tri specific bike shoes before the worlds.  Fingers crossed I won't be on the bike in London in trainers (although that will make for quick transition times).  Sorry to everyone who has had to put up with my moaning about the bike shoes!!!

2. Always check you have underwear on before stripping completely

My team mate Caroline stripped at the relays not realising she didn't have a crop top on underneath. She found the whole thing hilarious (she has a wicked sense of humour) and needless to say the men around us were loving it too!

3. Tri Camp's Camps are hard but fun!

I went on a training camp last weekend with Tri Camp.  Being the tough cookie that I am I thought I would find it easy.....how wrong was I!!?!? A brilliant training location with loads of mad people, lots of fabulous gluten free food and so much to learn about technique, training and nutrition.  Find out more about their future camps here and get involved:  http://www.tricamp.co.uk/

4. Don't walk or run with your mouth open

I either have a very large gob or walk and run round completely gormless with my mouth wide open as I swallowed a bee yesterday and it stung me on my windpipe on the way down. I have never been in so much pain! Rather dramatically we rushed to hospital and my dramatic panic attack led to hospital staff wheeling me in to treat me straight away but I live to tell the tale and actually it's a whole lot better today!!

5. Don't swim with your mouth open

(seems to be a theme here)?  I swam into some sort of underwater tree branch in the River Wye on a training session.  It completely missed my hands, arm and face but instead went straight for my front tooth and chipped it slightly.  Not so much painful, just a major shock, cue crying, flapping and panicking in the water and waiting for the lovely Heather Jackson to come and save me!!

6. The best things about triathlon are the friends you make along the way

With races, holidays and general busy times it had been a while since I'd trained with my partner in crime, fellow British and European Champion, Jacqui Phillips.  We've managed to get together a few times recently to train for the Worlds and also a 2-up that we are doing in France at the end of the season, we started off our 2 ups a bit all over the place but we are definitely getting quicker now!  

7. Non-swimmers can become swimmers!

There is hope for all us runners/cyclists out there! I've been working hard on my swimming and it's paying off.  At times (i.e. last out the water at Liverpool) I've thought about maybe forgetting the swim altogether and concentrating on running and biking but in recent weeks it seems to be coming together, alleluia! I'm always off the same leg at the National Club Relays so can directly compare my time year upon year, if my swim continues to improve at this rate I may even be first out the water next year (a girl can dream)!?!?

	Swim	Bike	Run	Total
2011	9:26	23:38	21:12	54:16
2012	8:34	23:40	19:48	51:52
2013	7:05	23:53 (I’m blaming the bike shoes)	19:11	50:12

8. Get inspired by others 

I love hearing of others successes. I also love the pic below with 2 inspirational ladies from the Club Relays - Kat Berry who won the Trade Team event overall (well done!) and Kate Scotter who insanely raced both morning and afternoon!

9. Apparently technique is involved in running too!

I've learnt so much about technique in swimming and cycling but this is the first time I've ever really thought about technique in running.  I think this along with some good core work and plyometrics may be a useful thing to work on in the winter.  I've even had a go at some barefoot running recently!

10. Don't be a second rate version of someone else, be a first rate version of yourself

With less than 3 weeks to go till the World Champs it's easy to get caught up with what everyone else is doing and I'm terrible for thinking "If only I could swim like her or run like her".  But actually everyone comes with their own strengths and I can only be the best version of myself so that's what I intend to be.  I'm mega excited for the last tri of 2013 and also (rather geekily) very excited to plan for next season!  The picture below shows me happy and relaxed before the relays talking to my friend Holly, enjoying what this sport is all about, racing hard, socialising hard and enjoying the journey along the way.