Season 2015

In May 2015 I successfully started off this year’s triathlon season by qualifying for the World Championships in Chicago 2015 and the European Championships in Lisbon 2016, competing in the sprint distance events. With the lead up to my first International competition held in Geneva in July 2015, I structured a set race programme around my A levels to compete in various triathlons every two weeks to enforce race tactical practice.

New Louth Triathlon Club Tri-suit

To gain a faster swim transition I needed to improve on my technique in removing my wetsuit.  To implement my improvements and get used to open water racing I entered the 2015 Delta Simmons Aquathon Series held in Lincoln every month.  Still overcoming shin splints and working to the advice of my physiotherapist the first two rounds proved to be a bit of a struggle, running through pain. I managed to achieve a second place in the first round and gruelling third place in the second round. With months of dedication and hard work I am now fully recovered from my sports injury and continue to gradually improve, increasing my overall running training.

Being presented with my trophy as Aquathon Ladies Champion

Generally I have noticed a great improvement in my run time compared to my first event by over two minutes.  This achievement led to my first place win in round 3 and again in round 4 of the Delta Simmons Aquathon. After being on join points for series winner after round 4 I knew I had my work cut out for round 5. After a race swim and good lead out and holding the lead on my run I became the series female Aquathon champion 2015. I am looking forward to entering the series next year and I aim to beat the course record as well as regain my title.

Aquathon Series Champion 2015

In the leading two weeks before European Championships in Geneva I participated in the Caldecotte triathlon in Milton Keynes. In this race I wanted to test my cycling ability.  With course knowledge in mind similar to that of Geneva, I wanted to test out the demanding hill climb at the very start of the bike course. Winning my age group and coming second overall in this triathlon gave me a very positive mind-set ready for the European Championships in Geneva.

Arriving in the blistering conditions in Geneva with a temperature of 40° required extra caution; having not experienced heat adaption training. Acclimatising to this type of weather was very serious for me, with the high intensity level of fitness needed for a triathlon I didn’t want to reach voluntary exhaustion.
Being organised I wanted to check out the bike route of the course beforehand, but this didn’t go to plan after my bike was lost on the flight from Manchester.  Having this major setback was very stressful indeed, I lost a few days training tracking my bike and missing out on the vital course bike recci.  Watching all my fellow competitors train hard was very disheartening for me, even though the older age group competitors tried hard to uplift my spirits with their horror stories too etc.  At 11.00pm my bike arrived at the airport,
Competing in extreme temperatures and putting the bad start behind me I raced to the best of my capabilities achieving 12th place in the under 20s age group. I caught a train to collect it myself and after a quick bike build it was 1am, just in time to rack and race later that morning.

On Saturday 22nd August 2015 I competed for team loughborough students in the national team relays in Nottingham, the relays include a 500m swim, 15km bike and 5km run and each discipline is completed separately.  This was my first ever team relay competition, working alongside other mixed competent Triathletes enabled me to observe and learn from my team to enhance my own training goals. After a successful day racing on the Saturday we were back on Sunday 23rd August 2015 for the elite style mixed team relays which included a 250m swim, 5km bike and 1.5km run all completed together before tagging the next competitor in your team. We had a strong performance which placed in the top 10 teams putting us through to the finals. However after having feet full of blisters from racing on the Saturday in trainers which were too small I raced Sunday leaving my feet in a dreadful condition and almost had to have my trainers cut off. Not wanting to let my team down I was still determined to race the final even though I could barely walk but being instructed not to by the ambulance staff and race officials meant I was carried away from the start (as shown in the photo below) so unfortunately our racing weekend was cut short but we'll be back next year! 

In September I qualified for my first Elite race! I didn't get the result I was hoping for but it was a good learning experience. I had a bad start which ruined the race for me as I got elbowed in the face which knocked my goggles off causing me to end up at the back of the swim as I faffed around with my goggles. I tried my best to catch up a bit of time on the bike and manages to catch up two girls but working on my own I got lapped after almost 5 of 7 laps. I was devastated not to finish.

Under 20s Elite Festival, Mallory Park on 6th September 2015

Looking back on the race it has given me an experience at what racing at elite level is like and gave me a few areas for improvement so I now see it as a positive outcome even if I didn't on the day of the race. Next year I hope to race the Elite Junior Super Series and with a lot of hard work, commitment and determination I will be back and next time I'll be prepared for everything! 

Now the season has come to an end I am focused on increasing my swimming training by re-joining the performance squad, to achieve the results I want and have set for next season; I must be in the first pack out of the water. During the winter season I will race frequently in the pool for training purposes. On the 11th October I competed in the 2015 Masters County Championships where I achieved 6 county records and some personal best times. Including smashing the 100m freestyle record by over 3 seconds, finishing in a time of 59.1.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me this year, it has been a great help and I would never had progressed to the level I am today without you. I would like to thank everyone who gave me financial help, I would never have been able to afford the kit, travel expenses, training and coaching fees, race accommodation, race fees, etc. The kindness and generosity of businesses, foundations and friends has helped tremendously.

Thank you to Cycle Mode for all the help they have given me and my beautiful Boardman Air 9.8, they kindly serviced my bike, helped with packing it in the bike box ready for flying to Geneva and there generosity in helpings with cost and for giving me my top of the range bout cycling shoes. Thank you to GRS Electrical Services who provided me with my GB Kit for the European Championships. Thank you to the Adam Gibbons Foundation who gave me a comfy hoodie to wear before competition and a generous money contributes for coaching fees, travel costs and race fees. 

I would also like to thank you my friends and family, I would never be the person I am today if it wasn't for you all. My parents especially I am can not thank you enough for everything you do for me and how much you sacrifice for me to be able to do what I love.  

Tri-suit birthday cake made my Joanne Patch

Thanks for reading! 

Emily Patch