Do as I say not as I do

"You once told me to always finish even if it meant crawling across the finish line" is what I was told on facebook this morning.

Very true, I did say that. However last weekend I did not crawl across the finish line. Instead I was slumped in a heap 2km into the run course.

Last weekend was case in point of "having a bad day". I felt good and rested however once the gun went it became increasingly apparent that there was no gas in the tank. It was Scotland's first ITU Cup race ever and luckily for the organizers got the sun they were all praying for, all 27 degrees of it. That seems to have been the root of the problem, mainly the rapid temperature increase from 10 degrees earlier last week to 27 by Saturday. A long drive down the night before also didn't help too much, but in the end of the day I should have taken care of myself better.

The swim was awesome/brutal. I've never been punched so many times in my life, but for a true "fish" like myself it was great fun, bashing around for 1500m is definitely more interesting than a solo break away and the boys in the water were flying. I was pushing near enough full out and wasn't getting any room off the front, but was happy to stick in with the lead group despite the fighting.

The second I got out at the end of the swim however it was pretty clear that something was not quite right. Simply a case of no energy and not managing to recover over the 40km. A couple other guys were suffering and I felt bad seeing Andy Russell of Canada drop back with me, he'd flown out to race and was suffering in the heat (I think, not spoken to him since) like me. Anyway, onwards and upwards. Oh I made it to the end of the bike without getting lapped out! and ran as far as I could before stomach cramps set in. Dehydration at its finest.

So where to go from there. I guess I was disappointed for about 20 minutes but as if by magic the second I got some water in me and a pat on the back from coach I was straight into "lets get training" mode. After a steady 4 days and a great stay on the Queen's Balmoral estate with my best bud Pete I am back to business with training getting ready for the Windsor triathlon in 2 weekends time.

Coach Blair is putting together a plan to get me resharpened up for that race and I kicked it off today with a tough brick set out at the Knockburn Loch training centre.

Final ever University commitment this weekend meaning by Thursday I'll be finished with school...forever. What a thought.

Onwards and Upwards.