Super-Charged Athlete in Chicago!
Competing for Australia in triathlon permits me to travel far and wide for competitions and this year, I had qualified for five World Championship Triathlons, three of which were held in the same city, in the same week: Chicago!
I packed my bike, my trainers and my passport and headed towards the Windy City for a whistle-stop 6-day trip.
Arriving two days before my first race, my focus was on race preparation: Registering for the competitions and getting to know the course, as well as waking up my legs from a long overnight flight from London, UK.
My first World Championship was on Wednesday was an Aquathlon: Swim 750m and run 5km. For me, this was fun and I enjoyed the fast pace of the race!
Thursday was the Sprint-distance Triathlon World Championship comprising 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run: basically exactly what I had completed the day before, but with a bike ride in the middle!
The day was very warm with temperatures around 80ºF and I regretted not wearing socks whilst I ran – my heels had rubbed in my shoes and two large blisters were present. Ow!
Today was also very special for me. My younger brother took up triathlon this year and also qualified to compete for his country in his age-group in Sprint-distance triathlon. The twist: I compete for my country, Australia and he competes for his country, Great Britain!
Friday luckily was a day of rest before the Standard-distance Triathlon World Championship on Saturday. This course is double a Sprint, so 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.
I am blessed to have very supportive family and when I became interested in sport, my mother chose to study sports massage – enabling me to get a faster recovery after competitions and training. My parents flew to Chicago to support their children and also give me some massages when I needed them.
Even with some rest and recovery on Friday, it wasn’t enough for my legs, they still felt tired and not as fresh as I would usually expect for a competition. Yet, the crowds cheering me on and also the backdrop of a pretty urban metropolis kept my spirits high and I finished my third race in four days with a smile!
It was so wonderful and truly special to have my parents and brother in Chicago with me as supporters, and also another competitor. I also enjoy the triathlon community where I have made some long-lasting friends.
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