One of the most rewarding things I’ve done as a professional athlete is put together #TeamLucy for the Teenage Cancer Trust. I’ve been lucky to have been given great support from my sponsors (Bloc, Blue Seventy, Erdinger, Greepers, High 5, Skinfit) and friends (Helen Davis (sports psychologist), Ed Williams from Elite Swimming Academy, Rich from Fit Again Sports Therapy and Mike Taylor from Bridgetown cycles) to put together what I think was a pretty impressive package for the team. I’ve got to admit I was pretty nervous about initiating the team. Would anyone want to join? Would I be able to write a training program that’s achievable and successful for complete novices? Would the training days be a success? What if people didn’t finish? Or hated the whole experience? The whole thing has been a huge learning experience but all in all I think it’s been a success. Certainly in terms of fundraising it has. And it’s helped me remember what it’s like to be entering your first half ironman. I’d almost forgotten what a massive achievement it is to finish. Emma, Giles, Theresa and Kevin have reminded me. Thank you! Theresa and Kevin – I know you’ve had setbacks but your day will come. #TeamLucy isn’t over until you’ve achieved your goals!
I have so many memories from Sunday and this is a race that will stay with me for a long time. From a personal point of view I’m proud that I dealt with some complications on the bike leg that previously might have stopped me fighting for the win. While at times it felt as though everything was conspiring against me I never stopped fighting and I didn’t settle for anything less than the win. I’m proud that mentally I raced the run rather than surviving it. I’m not run fit at the moment but while I was running slower than I have done previously that wasn’t for lack of trying. The only thing limiting me was run fitness. It wasn’t injuries and it wasn’t my head. And I’ve got Helen, who’s been helping me out with some sports psychology sessions, to thank for that. My run training may have been 5/10 but I gave 5/5 on the day. You can’t do more than that.
From the team point of view it was amazing to see the rest of the team out there racing hard. I’d told them it wouldn’t rain. It did. I’d told them to be careful on the corners. I was the only one who crashed. I’d told them to smile. They all did! Perhaps the highlight for me was seeing Emma nail her first ever triathlon, despite panicking in the swim and having to do the whole thing breaststroke. Have a read of this article. It kind of sums up why I support the Teenage Cancer Trust. Seeing Emma run down the finish chute smiling, jump in the air and then fall flat on her bum made me so proud, and just a little bit hysterical! I wanted finishing dances. I didn’t expect that!
Emma, Giles, Linzi, Kate, Ian, Andrew, Andrew, Kevin, Theresa – thank you for being part of #TeamLucy and raising so much money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. I’m sorry, not sorry, if you now feel you have to do an Ironman! Who knows, maybe next year #TeamLucy will target an Ironman rather than a 70.3….
