Pondevedra European Championships

Gosh, what a fantastic competition! It was amazing to be cheered on by so many Brits, in Pontevedra competing as age groupers, plus the Spanish crowds shouting bravo in my first International and only fourth triathlon!

My personal challenge was the steep hill on the run where a lovely man walked beside me every inch of the way shouting encouragement, twice. I couldn't even look up to see his face, but he approached me in town the next day to ask how I got on. I recognised his voice instantly and thanked him profusely.

I had a great swim and bike, beating the current European champ into second place, but the run was a bit beyond my current experience in a race chair. Still, only 6:30 minutes to improve on and there are a few months to go before the Worlds in Beijing. I think I definitely earnt that silver medal though as it was a tough course in 43 degree heat. It's just a shame that there are no other Tri1 women competing internationally, as surely if I can do six months of training aged 46 and compete for GBR, other women can. We really need to push the standards up too.

I had time to watch the elite men running through the historic streets of Pontevedra whilst enjoying a couple of celebratory cervezas, then cheekily asked Alistair for a piccy after the awards ceremony. When they play the National Anthem and you're wearing GBR kit, it's a very special moment, one I won't forget in a hurry!

Paratriathlon Performance Camp

The weekend started early with a 9:30am open water swim at Watermead Country Park near Loughborough. Luckily, I stayed with a friend in Lutterworth overnight so the drive was easy.

The water was surprisingly warm-in patches. I'm fourth from the left with my Swimsmooth cap on. The leech on my right ankle when I got out was a bit off putting...

Just time for a shower and coffee at the Hotel, then to the indoor track to be coached by Ian and Tanni Grey Thompson!! Awesome session, working on position in the race chair, gloves, pushing technique and flexibility. Increased my top speed out on the track straight away with a better pushing technique. I'm looking forward to improving with time.

Kevin Currel gave a Nutrition seminar centred around competing in Beijing and then dinner rounded off Saturday.

The good weather lasted until mid morning on Sunday. We set off-tandems, recumbents and bikes-to a marked four mile route for race pace practice. After a quick recce of the course, which included a horrible short steep hill, but a fast downhill section, we were timed over two separate laps. It was a bit like the loneliness of the long distance runner for me as everyone sped away on the first lap. Getting in the right gear for the hill without dropping my cadence was difficult but I have now moved the gear shifter so I can continue to pedal. My coach, Steve Casson, joined me on the second lap for a 'technical' ride. I could just see his knees in my rear view mirror. It was fortunate that he stayed with me as I tipped the bike over cornering too fast, just before the finish. A horrible metallic scraping noise on the tarmac resulted in a shredded footrest, some missing paint, a scraped hand crank and rear tyre. Not a scratch on me.

QE2 Ashington Tri, Northumberland

Travelled up to Northumberland yesterday for the second competition in the British Paratriathlon Series. Registered in the afternoon, then watched Haseeb, Alan and Jane play in the Lake with Penny doing water handling training for volunteers. It was freezing and I didn't want a soggy wetsuit for today, so I decided not to take a dip.

Went into the Pub by the Lake for a warming cup of tea and ended up having a Pub meal with Jane. Neither of us fancied being billie-no-mates later. Left the Pub about 9:30, got to the Holiday Inn 11 miles down the road, only to be told they'd double booked. Sent off to find the alternative by SatNav, arranged breakfast for 7am and went to bed.

After very little sleep and no breakfast, I arrived feeling quite ill to set up my hand bike and race chair in transition. Just enough time to put on my wetsuit and the third wave was called-over 80 women and 7 Paratriathletes. The whole lake was choppy with swimmers and I had to stop twice to compose myself. I kept swallowing water every time I took a breath, very disconcerting. I didn't have any energy in my arms at all.

Penny and her crew stripped my wetsuit off and I felt dizzy again, but was expecting it this time. Gill helped me in transition and out onto an undulating, windswept bike course, with hardly a soul in sight. Alan passed me and then I was on my own, trying to distract myself as I huffed and puffed up the hills.

Back into transition still wet and cold, but soon warmed up on the run. Interesting bumpy and gravelly run course round the lake negotiating bollards, railway tracks and cobbles and some slight inclines which I found hard.

A nice crowd still at the finish was very welcome and instant feedback from Trihard timing showing all my splits was handed to me by Chris from Spalding Tri Club. A disappointing swim but a good bike section, so things are going in the right direction generally.

Cleethorpe AC Open and Woodhall Spa Tri in one weekend!

This is Jack Booth and I lining up for the photographer after his first ever 100m wheelchair race, which he won in a time of 25.2. A fantastic achievement since Jack is only 12 and has only been training about a month. A well deserved win.

It was a very windy race at Woodhall Spa today, but at least the rain held off. The 400m pool swim was interesting, very busy with over 573 competitors going off in 2 minute intervals. Had a charming man swim over the top of me, then slow down, doing breast stroke. I kept my cool and drafted him to save energy. There was no distinct line along the bottom of the pool which made some swimmers weave all over the place-very amusing as I got squished against the ropes. Over all too quickly, just as I was getting into it...

The bike I knew would be a hard 24km, steadily climbing 300ft but buffeted by gale force winds the whole way. I was more aerodynamic than most and enjoyed a whizz downhill at 35kmh then into a gruelling headwind for the last 4km.

Transition was not ideal, being grass, so slow exit for the race chair. I was expected to turn 90 degrees onto the pavement, uphill, so I just stuck to the road. Amazing how large the turning circle is on a race chair...Awful head wind again, kept my head down and just pushed, before trees and hedges, then houses gave some shelter. Ironman Martin of Spalding Tri passed me and I just looked at his tattoo on his calf as he disappeared. Out onto the main road and a better, although pot holed, main road, meant I soon passed him, even though he had the shorter route on the pavement. Kept up a quick pace from the halfway mark, and fortunately a marshall stopped a couple of cars for me to turn into the finish. I did have visions of ending up on someone's bonnet! Grass finish-ugh! but everyone clapping and people I know coming up to congratulate me was awesome.

I didn't get to see any of my daughter Rebecca's race :-( but her brother George did. We hadn't been able to fix a bottle rack to her bike so she'd done the whole race with nothing and was pretty wiped out at the end. I'm very proud of her achievement though, especially as she was on a mountain bike! Times tbc.

New bike cushion!

Rob at Bromakin put me in touch with Covertec Solutions: http://covertecsolutions.com

a company that makes beautiful made-to measure upholstery for cars but also bespoke cushions for wheelchairs.

I went down there a few weeks ago to discuss my requirements as the old cushion that came with my second hand bike was making me sit awkwardly and aggravating my shoulder injury. Paul made a paper pattern and I hoped it would arrive in time for the Nationals.

I ended up sending them my own tracing paper pattern after taking Rob's advice about changing my seating position when I visited to collect my race chair. The cushion was made in a couple of weeks and came the day before the Nationals. I eagerly ripped off the old velcro, had a quick sit and realised my seating was too different to try out in my first race! I have now had a chance to try out the new cushion and bed it in and can't wait to do a time trial. But maybe not today-it's windy and rainy outside! Best stick to the turbo :-)

Every eight hours...

Today is spinal cord injury awareness day. Incredibly, someone is spinal cord injured every eight hours and their lives are changed forever-in an instant. Sadly, there is no treatment or cure for paralysis, but there are charities that support people to move on with their lives and rediscover themselves.

http://www.everyeighthours.com

Paratriathlon Nationals-Silver medal!!

Well, what a day! The lovely warm weather deserted us, we were blown sideways and rained on, but all of us came out smiling at the end.

I was surprisingly calm all day, even though I had a very new transition 'team' consisting of one (although I am allowed two helpers officially) and had to talk Lucy through what I needed before the race. Fortunately Penny showed me exactly how the water handling was going to happen, as nobody had demonstrated this before.

I was so laid back that I only just got my gloves onto the race chair, put my swim cap on and slid into the water when the hooter went off.

Bit of a mad washing machine effect at the start-there seemed so many people- but by the first buoy things had spread out. Managed backstroke turns round both buoys and drafted Tom Perkins for a while but his strong kick made it hard to breathe. I really noticed the difference as I drew away though, so need to stick by the side of someone next time.

Felt horribly dizzy when I was lifted out of the water and thought I might faint, but ok once recumbent on the bike. I wasn't the only one to suffer this, and think it was the cold weather and water reducing blood pressure.

Bike was a steady 90 cadence and a good average speed to produce a PB for the 20km! The race chair was my nightmare ride, even though I beat Karen out of T2. I didn't know my way out, two marshalls carried on talking and ignored me and then the path was so narrow, I crashed into the drinks tent :-(

A 90 degree turn onto the service road uphill was rubbish, then on a small uphill section I slid backwards, frantically braking. I couldn't get enough weight onto the front of the chair and doing wheelies uphill with a head wind wasn't a good idea. Unfortunately, I had to do the circuit twice. I coped better the second time, but ended up opening my gloves and pushing one side at a time, not letting go of the wheels...Luckily it was not within sight of anyone, as I felt pathetic.

I could hear Tracy, Denise and Scott shouting me on, and the small crowd was great, clapping and cheering every time we went past. Brilliant! Can't wait for the next one-I'm hooked!