No secrets this is always one of my favourite races, for its great location, beach surf, heat, and of course racing at home. :)
This year though, I was jumping in the deep end a little more. After tearing my hamstring at the end of last season, my preparation to this race had to be quite different to what I would normally plan. From an off season focusing on healing, rehab, strength, and then getting race ready, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but you have to start somewhere, and at a favourite race is as good a place as any!
Well race day was, no surprises here, hard as any World Cup is! But I was using this race as a warm up race for the WTS race on the Gold Coast, which for the Australians also counts as a selection race for the RIO Olympics.
In a beach swim, you always cross your fingers for that magical wave ride in to the shore, and cross your fingers that no one else catches that same magical wave either! haha. After getting my goggles kicked off my face on the way in, and losing a few body lengths as a result, I just hoped to feel that nice little push of water into the shore just to help a buddy out a little!....but I am still waiting for it! Haha I got nothing, nada, and exited with the back of the chase pack.
8 hills, 4 laps, and a bottle of Shotz Nutrition later on the bike, our chase pack entered T2 about 1 minute down on the leaders, who had snuck out their lead. This next phase of the race was going to test me a little! After a hard bike,and not an ideal transition, my first and final steps of my run were going to be a test on how good my months of injury rehab had been, and seeing what I had to throw down against some of the worlds best! Although definitely not my greatest run in the history of my two feet on pavement, this was not to be my expectations, given the restrictions of my prep. I was happy to put a solid run down and most importantly survive it being, 'all the right' pain free! There was always going to be 'the right' pain, as the Mooloolaba Hill burnt through peoples legs lap by lap!
A hot and humid day out, over a hard and challenging course, not to mention the first real hit out back, it tests most athletes out there! This was definitely the rude wake up the body needed...although you are somewhat expecting it, its still like a camel slap to remind you just how hard racing and triathlons can be!.. and for some crazy reason we all come back wanting more of it :)
Back in Perth for me, to prepare for the next race Gold Coast WTS. Another home race, and where the stakes are pretty high!
Flick :)