Mallory Park U20's Festival

My last race as a junior happened this weekend at Mallory Park. It was also qualifiers for Junior worlds in Chicago in a few weeks, but with the lead up I had to this race (3 &1/2 weeks properly training) the only aim I had was to get around the course.

For it was my last race as a junior, it was certainly a bag of situations for me.

I had a great swim, coming out 4th with 3 other girls which made up the front pack. My legs were feeling it on the bike so I just wanted to sit in and get around the course which I knew I could do, until Soph lost her chain and almost came off in front, which dropped me from the group, unfortunately... Sophie was okay though which was the main thing! So then with the big swim lead we had and the gap grew on the bike, I then found myself in no mans land for what felt like an eternity (3 of 7 laps). It was such a shame because all of the hard work at the beginning of the race was for nothing. I was caught by two chasers and off the bike we were over a minute down to the leaders which was pretty much game over for me.

I had a very slow run but I was only focusing on the first two disciplines anyway and came home with 7th.

I cant possibly be disappointed, with literally 25 days of solid training for the entire season as a lead up to a big race. I think I proved to myself and others that I can do so much off so little. However in the back of my mind is the 'what if's' of the race which no doubt will stay there for a while.
Maybe if I had another month of training then things would have been different? Who knows.


Well done to the juniors yesterday, Matt Willis and Dan Slater who podiumed in the youth boy's race and to Marcus Dey who won the T3 race. Also well done to the North West IRC Team for finishing 2nd overall.

And of course thank you to the incredible support over the past 3 years to my sponsors; Blueseventy, Chia Charge, Summit Physio, Swimzi, VO2 Sportswear and to BNY Mellon & Sportsaid. Thanks to my friends, family and coaches - especially Mike Myers, Andy Rawley, Emma Swanwick, Marc Laithwaite and the Endurance store team and to Fiona and Steve Hilton who without I wouldn't have had the confidence over the past few weeks and the bike strength to have done what I did this weekend!

So that's a wrap from me for my junior days. It hasn't been a sparkling 3 years for me by any means but I've learnt so much and gained valulable experience.

Now I move on to swimming in the big pond with bigger fish as I go up to U23's... If only I was born 16 days later I'd have another year in Junior! I can't wait for a great winters training up in Leeds where I start University in just under 2 weeks with some of the best athletes in the UK (and world!).

Leah x