Pain Pain Pain…….

I feel as though I am always in pain……anyone else get that feeling?

Since I have returned from the World Championships, did I mention I was 7^th in the world championships, don’t think I have said anything about it…..yeah right I don’t stop mentioning it at the moment. Any ways, since the World Championships I feel as though I am always in pain, this is the summer and it is race season so this is something I am going to have to put up with I guess. At the moment I am always looking for gains and putting myself through more pain and seems to be the only way to improve, but is it?

Do we always have to put ourselves through lots of reps, climbs and speed work to improve? The truth is I think we do! To get faster you have to run, bike and swim faster or to your fastest. You body adapts very well and if I’m honest the pain never ever goes away, we just get quicker. You don’t feel faster but the numbers on the speedometer are better and the HR is higher and the time is quicker….but is the pain worth it? At the time………never!!!

Another thing on my mind is, do we sacrifice too much for the want? Its hard to give yourself a point in which is no return, too much time spent training, too many occasions missed, too many friends pushed to one side and another early morning wake up just for those gains…is it worth it? Probably not at the time and a balance is critical. I am an age-group athlete, not a pro, not full time and not paid to compete…but man alive I love my sport. I love the feel of competing, the nerves and the build up. I love the long hours in the saddle, the climbs the time trial punishment. I love the laps of the track, the buzz on a sunny evening and a cold morning after a tough run. I love the conversations with training partners; food, training sessions, races, recovery and the endless coffee.

Then the gains start to arrive and yes the pain and sacrifices were worth it to win a race, beat a time, and beat your closest rival or even a training partner the pain is always worth it. But the key to the true success is the balance…

Never ever neglect the people closest to you as they are your foundation the people who actually help you to succeed. I have been very guilty of this in the past and must make sure that there is a right and wrong way to do things, but no magic formula and it is hard but to neglect the people around you is most certainly not the answer!

Worcester Triathlon (Dauthlon)

Due to the biting horrid bugs in the water at the top barn lake where the Worcester triathlon is hosted every year it had to be turned into a duathlon (thank god as I haven’t swam open water all year). The race had a depleted field due to the swim being cancelled but never the less still some strong local competition. The first run was only 1k and was very fast, the front group was about 5 strong and out on the bikes we went, after the first 5k I found myself in 3^rd and chasing two athletes from the same club who were suspiciously very close to one another on the bike, funny that as your not allowed to draft? Are you?

I cant into T2 in 3^rd place and started the 5k, I was gaining quickly on second place but 1^st was no where to be seen. I was able to make up a lot of group on second but my legs didn’t want to push any harder, they had had a long week (10m and 20m TT PB’s that week). I had nothing left and had to settle for 3^rd finishing around 200m behind second, another day and it might have been a different story! I was happy with 3^rd and to be part of a proud Worcester triathlon club who picked up the team prize aswell, which included my close training partner Jason Taylor!