
Its been quite sometime since I’ve written about what I have been up to. In August of last year I raced in the UCI Age Group Time Trial world championships held in my home city of Perth, technically held on Rottnest Island 16km offshore from Perth. Its a beautiful place, and if you haven’t had the chance to spend any time on the island I would urge you to do so. The beaches are stunning and totally unspoilt, not that we were able to admire the scenery while frothing and dribbling during the 20km time trial!
After that race I felt I was in pretty good shape and wanted to have a crack at the Duathlon State and National champs, which are always held in October. I have never been run fit for this race as it is always on at the same time as the Cape to Cape Mountain bike race, and that has always been my focus. Last year I didn’t race my mountain bike at all, so thought it would be a good opportunity to finally have a crack at the Duathlon. I had 6 weeks to get my running up to speed before the race, but luckily for me the race distance wasn’t the full Olympic distance of 10km run, 40km bike, 5 km run, but rather the sprint distance of 5km run, 20km bike, 2.5km run. My bike fitness crossed over rather well to my run fitness and I was soon cracking out the fastest 5kms I have ever run :o)

Race day arrived, and having never done a duathlon before I was quite excited and nervous to see just how I would go. The weather turned out to be rather wild and windy, controlling the bike down the back leg of the champion lakes circuit proved to be quite a handful, but I love those kind of conditions as I find it helps take my mind off the screaming legs! Coming off the bike after the 20km TT and I really had no idea how I was doing, so just ran as hard as I could for the final 2.5km run leg, and crossing the finish line totally spent.
My training buddy, Katherine came up to me and said ‘woo hoo you’ve got second place’ I was totally stoked. We both then went to the PC to check out my times, and
actually I had got first place (as Katherine had prematurely aged me by a few years and mentally put me in her age group – lol!!) So there I was, State and National Duathlon Champion in my first Duathlon. To say I was stoked is an understatement!
That win at the National Duathlon Championships leads me to where I am right now….3 weeks out from the Age Group Duathlon World Championships in Penticton, BC, Canada.
I look calm on the outside, but cacking myself on this inside. It is a huge financial and time commitment to race at the World Championships. It is also a huge honour to be racing in the Green and Gold of my adopted country. To add to the challenges, I will be racing the Olympic distance, 10km run, 40km bike, 5 km run, and I haven’t raced this distance before! Many of the Duathlon races held in Perth over the summer are all sorts of weird and wonderful distances, but never the full Olympic distance. I know its going to be tough, probably for me one of the most tough races, the damage that the 10km run does to your legs before getting on the bike is considerable.
Its now just over 3 weeks out till the big day and everything is coming together – hurrah. The previous 3 weeks have been tough, hitting the numbers has been difficult and my body and mind was a little bit over it, if the truth be told. Now I have had a few easier sessions to let my fatigue subside and the fitness is now shining through. These last 3 weeks of training will be super focused sessions, cutting out the chaf as coach Fenz from FTP Training says! So my weekly training volume is lower, I have 2 full days of rest a week, and have been hitting a few PBs in this week.


Marky has been great, and not complaining too much about the 100 decibel music emanating from downstairs when I’m doing my bike KICKR sessions.
I hope the neighbours don’t mind too much either! Also the early morning front door slams as I hop from outside run to indoor KICKR for the run-bike-run brick sessions, I don’t think they wake him up…
So fingers crossed for good health and some ‘fun’ training in these last 3 weeks leading up to the Penticton world champs, then we both look forward to 2 weeks of RV fun in the Canadian Rockies. Bring it on.