Challenge Barcelona-Maresme half IM

Officially into my season now (since Marbella half IM in April was a last minute thing!) and I’m happy with a pretty solid performance in Barcelona just last weekend. I finished 9th overal but felt more competitive with the rest of the Elite field, especially compared to my last season or two of racing. I feel stronger on the bike in particular and am able to run well off it (I guess these monutains here in the South of Spain will only make you stronger or otherwise would send you into a hole! I’m being careful not to start heading into a hole!!!) I actually kind of wished that the run had been just 1 or 2km longer as I was making good progress on 7th and 8th place! Maybe I’ll just have to hold that thought for my first full IM of the year. Also it was an extra kick up the backside for having gone off course in the swim – reasonable amount of lost time there I think! I wasn’t helped by the fact that the pack was just 12 of us to begin with and as I found myself back from the first few girls and on my own quite early on added to it being a sea swim with currents, even the smallest of waves and the early morning sun, it was difficult to site the right buoys! As I said though I was pretty happy that my bike felt strong and solid throughout and I followed it up with a solid run, not too special but solid, so I feel a good place to start for the year ahead. Especially so as the last few months have been crazily busy work wise and though I have gained some solid mileage particularly on the bike, I really haven’t put together too much structured training. The next few months however, I should be able to focus my training much more (fingers crossed!) and hopefully it will show...

For now though and since I got home from Barcelona on Monday, this week has all been about recovery, as I will be racing again this weekend coming at Challenge Kraichgau half IM. Though I have previously raced a fair amount within a season I don’t think I’ve raced two half IM’s on consecutive weekends before. So we’ll see, hopefully it wasn’t a bad decision!!! And thats where I sign off for now as I have to go and pack my bike... (fingers crossed for no more delayed flights – last WE I finally arrived at my hotel at 4am on the Saturday due to a 6hr flight delay! Probably didn’t help for the best race ever on the Sunday!!!)
Adios para ahora...