So, last year I decided to do a 70.3 , without any Triathlon experience.
I did it but it was nearly a disaster as I finished with literally (not joking) 1 second to cut off time. Good value for money tho, I’ve used all of my time!  And then I knew it exactly what excites me and motivates me: fear! To do the impossible after being on a bike  was really a wake up call : I can do this properly.
So I entered again and did a bit more training.
The run is always my biggest fear after a bad accident and being told I was never going to run. That was all I concentrated on, the bloody painful run. I started my training in January. Not that serious but with more respect-  I was loving it and getting stronger and couldn’t believe I was waking up everyday at 5:30am to train.

I was so strong that I was dying for a race and I’d entered Staffordshire last minute and finished 1:30hrs faster than Lanzarote. Of course you can’t compare courses but I did my run 40min faster!

Loads of bikes rides after that and loads of brick class and very little swim…
Went to Lanzarote and arrived at Club La Santa: IT IS GOING TO BE WINDY.
It’s never windy in September. But it was this time, of course!!!
Woke up on that morning, done the last check on the weather forecast, and yes it was bad, it was 27mph at 7am.
Once I was there on the swim start I was very calm… weird!
Off I went on that crazy start. Punches and kicks, and very choppy!
So far so good as the wind was helping for a change until I’ve turned back and faced a very challenging time. Drunk loads of water and I felt like I wasn’t moving. It was a struggle but I did it. Awful 47min but I was pleased as it was same time from last year, considering I didn’t do swim this year.
Than the panic started! I was think: I can’t do this bike ride on those conditions! I’m going to die!
Transition was perfect and quick, got the bike and thank God Bijan was waiting for me and said: we do this together and help each other. It made me sort of calm but I was still petrified.  As soon as I hit the road I knew I was in trouble. When you expect to do 45koh and do 20kph pushing so hard you think: oh no!!
Even worse when you see people having serious crashes. I was very scared and at the same time feeling so good like: can’t believe I’m facing this and keeping up.
Tabayesco was actually the best part of it. 10km of climb but no wind at the part of the island. And then you think: I’m going to fly down the mountain. Big mistake. Same gears I’ve used to climb I’ve kept to go downshill. Terrible head wind and there was no rest of easy time for your legs. The other worry starts to bother you: how am I going to run with those legs?
I was hoping to do the bike in 3:30 and did in 4:14 and the hope of finishing in under 8 hours was going down the drain. When I arrived at transition I burst in tears. Just scared and happy to finish with no problem. And all the tension as well.
Again super fast transition and then the run. 3 laps and I have to say miraculously I was ok. Last time was too hot and this time was cloudy. I set stupid 5km at the time targets and somehow helps me so much. I finished the first 5km not feeling to bad and didn’t stop until 10km. Then when I reached 10km I was thinking: wow half way!!!
But then I hit 16km and everything starts to go a bit mad. My hips always hurt as my broken leg is shorter and I was feeling sick and weird and not very sure about what I was feeling and if it was normal.
Every time I walked to the stations and than I think about every single person involved on this, from family and friends, and even the pros tips from previous day. And all I could think was: you can’t give up! What are they going to think?
And I didn’t stop and I couldn’t believe when I finished a hour faster than last year, considering the island had the worse conditions ever for a race.

As raced and reported by Lilly Morgado