Photo by: Martin Flinta
My 2012 season officially had lift off on the 3 March at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. With it’s unique racing format (3km swim: 200km bike: 20 km run) and location (you get to ride on the Yas Marina grand prix circuit) its an early season race that attracts a top notch field.
I went into the race with a good block of training under my belt after spending 7 weeks on the Spanish Canary Islands. I wanted to race well and to use it as a build for Ironman Melbourne three weeks later.
My race got off to a decent start. I was swimming comfortably with the front pack, with über swimmer Jodie Swallow gaining a two minute advantage off the front. Onto the bike I felt good and rode the first 40 km comfortably in a group of three until Caroline Steffan put a surge in and dropped me and fellow Brit, Emma Kate Lidbury on the Yas circuit. I didn’t panic and kept to my pace. Two hundred kilometers is a long way and I didn’t want to expend too much energy too soon!
At one point the TV crew pulled up next to me on amotorbike and started to try and conduct an interview. “How was I feeling?”, “Was I suffering in the heat?”.. Now, I didn’t want to appear uncooperative but I was in a race and putting some effort into the bike so I probably wasn’t at my most chatty :).
At about the 100km mark the chasing pack caught me. In retrospect I wish I’d at least
Photo by: Martin Flinta
attempted to go with them, but I didn’t and over the next 80km they built quite a gap. I felt a little frustrated with myself going into T2 but I’d already resolved that’s I was going to give it what for on the run. It was a pleasure to put my new Newton Distance light weight running shoes on and head out not the run. I let my legs come to me and I felt good. I focused on keeping my turnover high and just ran as hard as I could. Although the women ahead had a good head start no race is over till you cross the finish line! Starting the run I was in 7th place and I ran into 5th. Yes, I’m a little disappointed with my overall result but take big positives from my running the fastest in split of the day (1.11:53 for 20km), and setting a new run course record (oh, and 6th fastest run overall 
).
I’m now in Melbourne putting in my final preparation for Ironman Melbourne on 25 March. It’s all set to be another fantastic day of racing with a really stacked field. I can’t wait!
