Not going to lie when I say this, Hungary is definitely one of the hottest places I've been to! Especially for training/racing!
A big team of athletes were invited to train from the 5th-12th August and finish the week off with a race - heats on the 10th and the finals on the 11th and I was one of the lucky athletes to be chosen to go for the week!
The training was easy and hard but basically specific to the race at the weekend and based on what we would need to be doing in the race at the weekend i.e. what pace to run off the bike in the heat and being the first one to the buoy in the swim. The rides we went on were good for socialising... and maybe to get a good tan!
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| Megan McDonald and myself at the after party! |
The race for the Girls were two heats and 14 would qualify from each heat to the final with the next 2 fastest. There were more boys racing so there were 4 heats and only 7 from qualified, again, along with the next two fastest. The race was split randomly, then from that it was seeded into performances. In my heat, I had Georgia Taylor-Brown from Great Britain, who is 2x European Junior champion and 2012 Junior world duathlon champion. Along with Jas Hedgeland from Australia who was 2013 Youth Olympic Champion. It was a strong heat so I knew it was going to be fast.
Out in the swim Sian Rainsley (my team mate) and I lead the first lap, then Georgia and a few australians took the lead into T1. On the bike was Sian, a Hungarian, an Italian and I as a group of three which was Georgia, Jas an another Australian pushed out a quick pace on the bike. We worked well, although the chasing pack which was the rest of the field was closing down quick. They caught with 200m to go into T2 and Sian said it right:
"We're going to have to run for our lives!"
A bit too much of a Hunger Games moment, but never-the-less it got me running fast and I finished in a comfotable 12th place into the final. Sian was 8th and Georgia won the heat. In the second heat, Sophie Coldwell finished in a comfortable 5th place and Megan McDonald was 8th, meaning that all the GB girls made a place in the finals... woo!
I went into the finals with a clear mind - As going into the finals with sorting out positions and times I was ranked 25th, so lets just say I wasn't expecting a podium finish. I was relaxed before the race and I knew this was going to be an even faster race than the day before. In the swim I was out 5th, 4 of the top 5 being Brits! Sophie, Sian, an Australian, Georgia then Me!
On the bike I struggled as I was tired in my legs, so everytime the pace was pushed I was gritting my teeth to hang on! 5 laps on the bike feeling the pain went surprisingly quick! Off the bike I stayed relaxed on the run and going onto the last lap my legs started to get going and I was flying all the way into a sprint finish. Georgia won and Sophie came second (two Brits on the podium!) Sian finished an incredible 8th and I was 12th! Meg also did great and finished 18th.
The after party was a great way to end the week after the hard training and racing, especially pushing through the heat! It was such a great experience and I can't wait to hopefully do it again!
Next stop - Eton Dorney in the Junior European Cup and Worlds qualifier!
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