Zone3 in conjunction with the Triathlon Centre @ Advance Performance are sponsoring a triathlete throughout 2017.
Our Zone3 Local Hero for 2017, Kate Southorn, has been racing and gives us an update on her progress in May.
Kate helping a fellow club member in transition
May saw the start of the race season which I found quite daunting.
My first triathlon of the year was Pitsford sprint triathlon and the weather was still chilly and the water temperature not getting much over 12 degrees, my last Triathlon with a swim in cold water was Chatsworth sprint tri which was less than successful, I panicked in the swim feeling like I couldn’t breathe and all constricted around my chest and shoulders and as a result I couldn’t swim in the pack and lost a lot of position and time which then resulted the swim affecting my mental state for the bike and run.
So this event for me was about setting the right precedent for the years racing - my coach, Mary at Inspire2tri had set some other more targeted objectives, but in my head my main objective was to not panic and see how I faired. So with all that in mind my training was going well and I’d taken time to swim in my new vanquish wetsuit (thank you Zone3) so was feeling confident that I shouldn’t replicate my Chatsworth performance.
I’d recently seen that anxiousness and nerves were the same physiological response as excitement, so simply needed to convince myself I was actually excited about the swim/event. The swim was beautiful if not cold (shortened to 500m), the Vanquish feels so free around the shoulders without any constriction. I may be boring people about how much I love this suit.. But I really do. The good swim lead me to a confident ride and run and finished 1st in my age group and incidentally hit Mary’s targets - she’s usually right with these things!
Mid May I had the pleasure of taking part in a local 60k bike ride in aid of Macmillan (a charity close to my heart) arranged by Welland Valley Cycle club. Whilst a beautiful ride I have learnt there are some brutal hills around the Welland valley area and the route managed to hit everyone of them, so the following day heading over to Eye to take part in the 10K was less that an exciting prospect to me.
Waking up in the morning my legs were certainly not happy about running, or moving much at all. However, the Eye 10K was a beautiful race, well organised and certainly well attended. The weather was beautiful so even as a training run with tired legs what was not to like about it (thank you Advance performance for my entry). I will certainly be back to race next year as even with tired legs its a fast course for those wanting a nice 10k PB, but maybe without the 60k cycle beforehand.
Final race of the month was the Bedford team relays. If you have chance to take part in the triathlon relays then do, this isn’t completing a triathlon as a relay team but as a team you complete all disciplines, you are a team of three completing all swim legs followed by all bike and then finally all competing the run legs.
It certainly is exciting and effectively having a rest between each discipline whilst your team members complete their legs does mean you can race harder (I think). Although I was competing this event because of one of the WVTRI team had dropped out. As usual coach Mary set me objectives, last year I hadn’t broken out objectives per discipline and I am quickly learning that this is an invaluable tool to my racing and as a result taking over 5 mins of last years total time.
Next month is all about working towards my GB Age Group Race in Dusseldorf I’m feeling prepared and excited -ok it maybe nerves but fake it till you make it!
We look forward to further updates from Kate as the season progresses.